


The Gods of Altea

by Ruby_slipper_of_iowa



Series: A War of Gods [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, F/M, Genderfluid Character, Genderfluid Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Minor Character Death, Original Character(s), Post-War, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-07-12 10:38:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 32,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15993467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruby_slipper_of_iowa/pseuds/Ruby_slipper_of_iowa
Summary: The bond created a hundred years ago between the Galra and Altea is breaking. Allura, goddess of Bodns, and relationships, has not been attending to this bond in particular, and must speak with the Paladins of Volton, five of the seven remaining Gods of Altea and they all must speak about what is to be done now.





	1. Acknowledging the problem

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so *eventually* there will be a set of side stories. I will post those as they come up, and basically if I don't update this, look for the side series which will start in a couple days. Here's to a Month of Voltron, Gods of Altea!!

There are seven gods in Altea. There are seven gods tasked to protect the Alteans and to insure the balance of the world. The two the Alteans cared most for were Allura, goddess of bonds (treaties, agreements, marriages and the like), and Coran, the god of knowledge (random, useful, and needed). The other five gods were gods of nature, the sky, earth, water, fire, and the forest. These five were the protectors of Altea, but as other gods and planets grew disinterested in Altea and the Alteans no longer needed their protection these five gods grew distant, reserved, and faded out of living memory, and for all anyone knew, including Allura, they had passed on.

 

Allura’s temple was stationed in the center of Altea’s main city Alfornt. Nothing had been moved in ages, and in her true form the building could act like a bed for her. She however did not often take her true form, and disguised herself as her own high priestess. It was a habit; she and the others had taken up long ago. Occasionally someone would find it funny that the beautiful woman in charge of the temple never aged, but those clever enough to figure that much out were often clever enough to not ask questions.

Allura, in her human form stayed in the back room of the temple and it was here while she was preparing for a marriage ceremony of a couple she had been watching over for several years that she felt it at the edges of her mind. A bond was breaking. But not a bond of humans. A bond of gods, more specifically the bond that had created the peace they now lived in. Allura took a deep breath and finished preparing.

She rushed the ceremony. She knew she did, so as she finished, putting one hand in the other she said, “A blessing on the house hold the two of you will create.” She put enough power behind her words that she began glowing. The children, as she called her worshipers stared at her in awe. “My apologies, but I must leave you now.” She turned her wrist a pair of rings appearing in the palm of her hand. “Take these as a sign of my blessing and your devotion to each other.” With that Allura flew out of her temple and across the city to the college centered around Coran’s temple. She burst through the doors at the top of the temple used only by gods who would fly in to meet with Coran. Coran’s temple doubled as the greatest library in Altea. Any written word of value had a copy here, even if all other copies were lost, one could always find one here. To destroy a script in Coran’s Temple one would have to destroy Coran’s life essence, which could only be done by another god.

“Coran?” Allura called, knowing he would hear her.

“A moment please.” His gentle voice said in her head.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the temple. It was not her domain, so her powers were dampened but she could tell that the Altean sitting next to Coran had recently broken a bond. It was a lopsided bond. Now that she was in his temple, Allura walked down the stairs to the area Coran was in with the young lady.

“I just didn’t want to know this.” The girl sobbed cherry hair tumbling over the shoulder closest to Allura and blocking Allura’s view of her face.

“Coran is the god of knowledge we _need_ to know, not of that we necessarily want to know. Knowledge is hard, and sometimes painful, but in the end it will make you stronger.” Coran promised the girl. “And, if you don’t mind me saying, from what you’ve told me you are probably better off.” The girl sniffed and nodded, letting Coran hug her. As Coran pulled away he brushed a kiss on the girls forehead, a simple blessing, it could not change fate but it could make current and any future painful knowledge less painful.

The girl didn’t even notice he had done it, which was how both he and Allura had preferred things for the last several hundred years. The girl swept her hair behind her shoulder and gave him a tear streaked smile. She then stood and went out into the main hall where she bowed before the sculpture that represented Coran’s life essence. “I’ll be back.” She whispered before leaving.

“Allura, what is wrong?” Coran asked, motioning for her to lead him back up the stairs from which she came.

Allura walked all the way up the stairs and onto the balcony before responding. “I sensed a bond breaking.”

Coran frowned at her, “Bonds break all the time, it allows Alteans to grow and learn.”

Allura shook her head. “It was not a bond of humans.” Allura paused, concentrating on the disintegrating bond once more. “It’s the bond we made with the Gallran gods.” She whispered. “It hasn’t broken, but it is no longer whole.”

Coran nodded. “We should have kept up communications.” He then shook his head. “That was the job of the other five.”

“Where are they?” Allura whispered.

“They are where they have been.” Coran sighed. “In their temples, minding their territories. The Alforntians have forgotten them, who knows if they will be willing to come back and help.” Coran looked at Allura, a smile playing around his lips. “Go to Lance first. Then Hunk. They have the most companionate dispositions. Third should be Shiro, and fourth Pidge. Hopefully at that point it will be easy to convince Keith that he is needed.”

Allura nodded and gave Coran a hug. “I will miss you, Coran. I hope my journey is one of great speed and little anxiety.” Coran hugged her back, it had been a while since they had seen each other. Even so close to each other, even being the only active gods of the Alteans, they had not visited each other often, guarding over their domains.

Allura finally pulled away and was turning to leave and prepare for her journey when Coran stopped her. “Allura, tell me. How is the bond you named Voltron?”

“The original one?” She asked. There had been many Voltrons, Alteans in groups of five defending the weak of Altea in imitation of the originals. Coran nodded. “Their bond is disused but not gone. Also, I helped oversee its creation. It would not break while I live.”

Coran smiled at her and this time when she turned to head back to her temple he did not stop her.

 

Upon returning Allura called in the priestess Vergna. “I’m leaving.”

“High Priestess Alu?” Vergna bit her lip and looked back to Allura’s Pillar, which represented her power. 

Allura ran a hand over Vergna’s cheek, drawing the woman’s face back to her. “My power will not leave this place, but I must speak to our warrior gods.” Allura smiled down at the girl. “It has been a long time since I left my temple for any such extended period of time.” Allura briskly turned away and clapped her hands. “Well, if you will agree to it, I will create a bond between the two of us, so that even while I am gone, you may still have my council on the bonds which come here to be blessed.” She turned back to Vergna who had knelt.

“Goddess Allura?” Vergna asked, head bowed. “Is it really you?”

Allura knelt before her priestess, once again taking the woman’s face in her hands, “It has always been me.” Her smile grew, “Will you take up this bond with me?”

Vergna nodded, and put her hands over Allura’s, inhaling deeply before meeting the goddess’s eyes. They both began to glow as Allura found their natural bonds of companionship and friendship, and strengthened them into those of a god who loved their follower, and a follower who loved their god, who were both willing to die for the sake of the other. 

“It will take a little getting used to.” Allura said as the bond completed. “But I assure you, this is something you will be capable of.” 

Allura drifted off to her upper chambers, but Vergna’s voice stopped her half way up the stairs. “Where are you going first?”

“I go to the ocean in the North. There I will find Lance Warrior God of Water.” With that Allura flew up her stairs, and hurricaned through her rooms to gather all that she needed for her journey. She was a god, it is true, but she was leaving her realm, the realm of the people. The realm of the elements was no friend of hers.


	2. Headed North

When Allura departed from her temple, Vergna cried. Vergna was the only person who knew why High Priestess Alu was suddenly departing, and she was nearly uncontrollable, until Allura took the woman in her arms one last time and whispered, “I will always be with you.” Before kissing Vergna’s forehead.

Allura walked through the city she had so long looked after with a large pack with clothes for each region. She would not walk after she had left the city, but as soon as she had told her other priestesses and priests that she needed to confer with some of the other high priests and priestesses the rumor of her leaving had blazed. They were all surprised to learn there were more than just her and Cor. It almost made her cry, acknowledging how forgotten her dearest friends were, even by herself.

The city sprawled, and Allura skirted the edges of the college continuing North. Even flying this journey would take several days if she didn’t stop along the way, and Allura knew that there would be people along the way whom she could not help but assist in any way she could. At most, it should take her a week to reach Lance’s Temple. As she was thinking over these points, she automatically reached out and caught a child, running into the street, just before a horse and cart ran the poor thing over. She squatted down before the child, “Please be careful, we wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.” She followed the line on one of the child’s strongest bond’s and found their father staring in shock. She kissed the child’s forehead, blessing their relationship with their parents, then said, “Now it is safe, go on.” The child ran to their father who was still gaping, but automatically scooped up his child. She smiled and waved at them before heading on her way.

It took her several hours to get to the outskirts of the city. She picked up her pace as she searched for a good place to take off without being seen, or rather, a good place to disappear and not attract any more attention. She saw a small grove of trees, which would make as good a place as any. Her fingers brushed one of the trunks as she passed. “Pidge would love all of you.” She whispered to the trees.

Allura closed her eyes once she was hidden from the road. She could feel her power surge as she vanished from mortal sight. She flew.

True to her predictions it was just under an hour of flying north (crossing almost seventy miles, with the air growing noticeably colder) that she noticed something, a bondless Altean. Well, calling the child bondless might be taking things too far. The child once had parents, but for what ever reason they had chosen to sever their bonds with the little one. Allura stopped just before reaching the child landed on the opposite side of the hill they were on. She did her best to walk up the hill at a normal pace. When the child was back in her sight she blinked, acting surprised.

“Little one, what are you doing out here all alone?” She asked before she got to close. Her spirit reached out to the child trying to convey that she could protect them.

“Nothing. I’m not alone.” The child scrambled away from her, even though she had not gotten any closer. He was unreceptive to any bond.

Allura did her best to not betray her intense worry for what this child, who could not be older than ten had faced up to now. “Well, I’m headed North, and I wouldn’t mind having someone to talk to.” Allura smiled at the child and began walking North again.

She passed the child, not looking back, feeling that any further acknowledgement of the child would make them shut her out for good. She was starting up the next hill before the child called out, “Wait!” She looked back and saw the child run towards her. “My parents went ahead of me, I can walk with you until we catch up.”

Allura smiled at the child, and nodded, not calling them out for the lying. “What’s your name?” Allura asked.

“Doesn’t matter.” The child snarked.

“Okay.” Allura smiled. “How should I refer to you when I tell my family about my traveling companion?”

“The girl.” The child said kicking a stone.

“Do you like being a girl?” Allura asked looking down at her companion.

“Being a girl isn’t the problem.” The girl grumbled, kicking the stone again.

“Oh, okay.” Allura shrugged, she wouldn’t have cared if the child had asked to be called a cactus. “My name’s Alu. I live in Alfornt.”

The girl stopped, “I don’t like Alfornt.” The girl growled. “There are bad people there.”

The marks on Allura’s cheeks shined with her eyes as she connected with Vergna, letting the other woman know of the conversation. “I suppose there can be bad people where ever you go.” Allura agreed. “But there are also good people there. It all depends on who you meet.” The girl was silent. “Would you tell me what area of the city you were in?”

The child shrugged. “Close to this road.”

Allura held back a sigh, “I have friends, and who will look for the bad people.” Allura said. “They will not bother you anymore.”  The child’s eyes were blown wide, and she was suddenly much more receptive of Allura’s attempt to bond.

“You’re not normal.” The child stated, having lost the mental capacity for deeper thought.

Allura looked down at her glowing hands before huffing and knelt before the girl. “I need you to keep this secret.” She said. “My real name is Allura. Have you heard of me?”

The girl furrowed her eyebrows in thought before slowly nodding. “They said you couldn’t help me.”

Allura laughed, “True it is not my area of expertise, but I can help. And even if fighting and bravery isn’t what I’m known for, I did fight when called upon.” Allura looked down at her companion, “Shall we continue?”

The girl nodded, and took Allura’s had, asking a thousand questions from why she walked if she was a god, to her favorite thing. Allura answered every question, and asked some questions in return, but never pressed if the girl did not want to answer.

While they walked and talked, part of Allura’s spirit rose up looking for a person or couple who could meet a very strict set of criteria. Allura and the girl reached the next town by night fall and as they entered, Allura found what she was looking for.

She looked down at the girl. “Would you like to have a new family?” The child blinked up at her uncomprehending. “I can give you a new family who will love you, I’ve just found them, but you have to want them too.”

The girl licked her lips, “They’ll stay with me?” She asked.

“I will make sure your bond cannot be broken.” Allura assured. The girl nodded. “Then let’s have some fun.” Allura winked, and picked up the child. Picking up a black smith was easy for Allura, but she was not so insensitive as to not know the child weighed less than she should, and her slim figure was hidden behind bulky, dirty clothes. With the child in her arms, Allura made them both disappear. She then walked to the center of the town, where a circular pavilion with seven pillars stood. It served as the town’s place of worship, though it was clear only the pillars representing Allura and Coran were kept clean and presentable. Once there she reappeared shining for all that she was worth. Raising her voice, she called out, “I have a task that must be done.”

The people in the square surrounding the Pavilion had frozen when she appeared, and now turned to her murmuring to each other.

A man stepped from the crowd. “I will do what ever you ask.” He declared.

“This task is nothing to scoff at.” Allura warned, the child still invisible in her arms.

“No task can be greater than that which my husband and I would like. Please, I will do anything if you bless our search for a child.” The man had come closer, his husband fighting through the growing crowd to get nearer to him.

“It will cost you sleep, money, and peace.” Allura warned.

“So would having a child.” The man’s husband said. “Together we will do what you ask.”

Allura smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. Come closer.” When the men complied Allura asked, “What are your names?”

“I’m Mince.” Said the first, a slim, scholarly sort that one generally found about the college.

“And I’m Vaint.” The second said. He looked like he had moved from the base of Hunk’s mountains, the people there were all a similar girth. But then again, Alteans had become more intermixed as time trudged on, so what she was seeing could have been generations removed. They both knelt before her.

“Little one, what do you think of these two?” Allura asked the child, who was still invisible.

“Why do they want a child?” She asked.

Mince looked startled at the sound of a disembodied voice, but Vaint calmly said, “We are happy together, and could continue as we are. We just would like to share our happiness with someone else. We both want a new person to love.”

Allura looked down at the child, who nodded and whispered, “They sound nice.”

“My task should be a simple one for you, then.” Allura said. “I would like for you to adopt this child. She needs a good home, and loving parents. She has not had an easy life, but I believe you can do this.” Allura revealed the child, and set her on the ground. The child walked up to the two men cautiously. Both men reached for her, and she hesitated before taking one hand from each man into one of her own. “Now child, for me to bless your new family, I need to know your name.”

The girl looked over her shoulder and smiled at Allura. “They always called me Reliance.”

Allura nodded, “Mince, Vaint, and Reliance, I here by bless the family formed today. May you find joy and peace within one another.” The light radiating from Allura passed onto the little family, and a new set of bonds was formed.

Allura smiled down at them. “I’m glad to have found each of you. But now I must go. Please take care of the little one. She is much beloved by me.” With that Allura vanished again, and began flying north again.


	3. Lance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Something baaaadd happenin' in Oooozzz"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention the completed work is on my Tumblr? Ruby-sliper-of-iowa

Allura had left the new family and small village far behind. She was now half a day behind, though she consistently reminded herself that this was all expected. She couldn’t resist travelers in need. She did not, however, come across anyone else who needed her help while traveling North, and so quickly made it to Lance’s Temple.

His temple was made of glass, floating on the waves. It refracted the sunlight in such a way that in the day time is seemed to disappear. It was for this reason that when she first arrived, Allura was unworried when she say nothing. His pillar, representing his power, acted as an anchor for the rest of the temple, and only his blessed could visit it during the summer. The summer was the only time any Altean had ever dared to visit Lance’s Pillar. During the winter, the sea froze over. It was fun for the locals, who could go ice skating, and It was easier to enter the main temple as there was more than a slick floating bridge to walk across to the temple.

It was summer, so Allura only had to walk across the bridge to get to Lance’s temple, but she stopped a mile from her destination. All gods knew that a good signifier as to how a local god was feeling or behaving was how the local people were feeling and behaving. Allura landed on the road, and after checking that there was no one around, made herself visible once again. She walked the half mile to the village and saw no one.

Allura glanced over her shoulder, and searched for farm houses on her short walk, but there was no sign of any Altean life. Even the animals were few and far between. “I guess you miss a lot when you fly as fat as you can.” Allura muttered to herself.

When she got to town everything was bare. The houses and shops were falling apart, and wild dogs howled at her scent. Or she thought there were multiple dogs, but it could have been a single lonely howl echoing through the abandoned streets.

This was not good. It used to be such a happy village. The people frolicked year round. Allura had loved coming here because there was so much love. Love in all shapes and sizes. And the bonds formed were strong and lasting, so long as they were equal and reciprocal, much like how Lance would bond with others. Generally mutual feelings of various strength, and occasionally feeling more for one who did not feel the same. Allura was glad the two of them had gotten past that. In fact, the way they had resolved his unwanted feelings for her and become friends made her all the more worried for what was happening.

She kept walking, picking up the pace the further she went. She was running by the time she reached the outer edge of the village. She then flew. For once she did not care if anyone could see her. There was no one about to see her. She reached the temple, and nearly dropped into the ocean.

She could see it.

The Temple had collected dust, smears, and cracks, making it visible to anyone who came by. Allura dove, and landed on the front steps, quickly running through the building, only pausing to look down at the Lace’s pillar, and the anchor for the building. The top of it looked fine, but she could not see much through the smudged, dirty floors. She flew down the stairs to the underwater portion of Lance’s temple. This acted in the same way as Allura and Coran’s second floors, a space for Lance to relax away from his worshipers, and meet with other gods. Due to the glass, during the warmer months swimmers could see him, but there was no know way of getting into the temple, other than the front door.

Lance was one of the few remaining gods of Altea who did not mind his followers seeing, and knowing who and where he was. Long ago, they had all welcomed their followers knowing, but during the war, Pidge had begun to hide from her followers, even when home and eventually explained her reasoning to Shiro, then the others. Lance had never gone along with it. Part of his reasoning was due to his cockiness, and the other was due to how he cared for his followers, and the people in the nearby town, and wanted to reassure them with his presence.

But the life and history of the world and gods didn’t matter right now, because as Allura circled Lance’s room, walking around the sea life encrusted pillar which went through the floor to the sea floor. Lance was gone


	4. Vike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ORIGINAL CHARACTER TIME!

Allura made her way to the Balmera mountain range from Lance’s abandoned temple. As she traveled through the North Western regions of Altea people began reappearing. She sighed to herself. This was a good sign. If she had felt like it, she could have visited the shrine for Shay, Hunks former wife. Her pillar had been destroyed during the war, and with it her life force. Hunk had been devastated, but had carried on with vengeance, and retained his name as the most loving of all the paladins.

Allura was looking forward to visiting him. As the god of earth, he was quite grounded, and there were few times that those under his protection made rash decisions. There were few broken bonds in the West, even fewer than in the North.

Thinking of North and West reminded Allura that Hunk had often tempered Lance’s extravagance.

She thought all these things as she flew, but as reassured as she was that Hunk probably had not left his temple, she still hurried to get there, hoping to see Lance. They were friends, it would make sense that they would be together.

She was halfway between where she would have turned to go inland to Shay’s shrine, and Hunk’s Temple, when she was halted in the air, forced to turn her bracelets into a shield to keep a sword strike from removing her head. “Who are you?” A hard female voice asked.

“I am Allura, Goddess of Bonds.” Allura lowered her shield as a sign of peace. “May I ask who you are?”

“I am Vike, Goddess of the forge.” The woman before Allura said from behind an ornate helmet.

“My apologies, I have never heard of you.” Allura bowed her head, the traditional show of respect when one god or goddess met another. “May I ask how you came to be?”

“No.” Vike said.

“Then may I pass?” Allura asked. “I need to speak to Hunk, God of the earth, and Paladin of Voltron.”

“Follow me.” Vike said turning, and Flying off in the direction of Hunk’s temple. Vike paused and turned when Allura did not immediately follow. “He will decide what to do with you.”

Allura followed at an even quicker pace than she had originally set for herself, and the two arrived at the base of Hunk’s mountain before nightfall. “Lady Vike.” Allura called before they headed up. “As it is late, I will stay in the village tonight. I will call upon Hunk in the morning.”

“Why do you call me Lady, but not call him Lord?” Vike asked. Allura blinked at the goddess, who had yet to remove her helm which covered her whole face. Vike snorted, “I’ll let him know you will come in the morning. “

Allura went into the village. There was a single inn. The keeper was jovial and friendly. Exactly what she would expect from those directly under Hunk’s influence. There was still an hour before dinner would be served, so Allura wondered to the town square. In it was the typical seven pillared pavilion. This one had two pillars on either side of the pavilion, one to the north, and the other to the South. It was clear from the shape of things that Hunk had been doing a much better job than she and Coran had to keep the memory of the Paladins present. She walked into the pavilion, and knelt before Hunk’s pillar, positioned between hers and Pidge’s. Allura knelt before Hunk’s pillar. “Hear me friend, we are in need. I need you to listen tomorrow, please.” She then stood up and walked back to the inn for dinner. After flying so fast and hard that day she was hungry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sry these chapters are so short... I swear they get longer... eventually...


	5. Hunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay! The first of the side chapters should have posted yesterday! GO READ IT BEFORE YOU CONTINUE OR YOU WILL BE LOST!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GO.  
> READ.  
> THE.  
> SIDE.  
> STORY.
> 
> Seriously, it will help everything make sense.

Allura went sat down at the inn and picked up the mug of wassail thumped in front of her. “Thank you for the drink.” She told the owner who was walking away from her to care for his other customers. He merely waved over his shoulder. Allura smiled and sipped her drink. He wasn’t being unfriendly, he merely had an establishment to run, and this tavern portion of the inn seemed to be a popular place for the town’s people to gather after a long day. People were frequently coming in and out as the evening wore on and Allura ate a thick boar stew. She had ordered it specifically because it had been a specialty in the region since before the war, and she wanted to know if it was as good as she remembered.

She was smiling over the accuracy of her memory, and the ability of the town to maintain such a well-crafted recipe when the chair across from her was pulled out, turned around, and a smiling face slumped into it facing her. “Hello Alu.” Hunk said. “How have you been?”

Allura swallowed and dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, “I’ve been well.” She smiled back at him.

Before she could continue the proprietor came back, and slapped Hunk on the shoulder. “Priest Garret, it’s been too long, what can I get you?”

Hunk turned his smile up at the man. “I know everything you and Evelin make is wonderful, so whatever is you haven’t given to someone else will be fine, and the wassail smells especially good tonight, so a glass of that as well.”

“The priest drinks!” The proprietor roared, drawing the attention of the others present, and making them laugh as though it was a long running joke.

Hunk laughed along, “Yes, yes. I drink, but only because I can tell just by the smell, that Evelin out did herself tonight. Now Alex, go tell your spouse that she’s the most wonderful cook in Altea.”

As Alex left Allura murmured, “You would know.” With a small smirk.

Hunk merely shrugged. “I suppose.” He then leaned forward over his chair, and whispered, “Allura, it’s been years, and as much as I enjoy seeing you, we both know it is not in your nature to randomly visit others.”

Allura looked down, “My apologies—”

“None of that.” Hunk waved his hand between them. “I was stating facts, not guilting you.”

Allura looked back up at her old friend and smiled, “Thank you.” She leaned forward to whispered to Hunk about all that was happening, when Alex returned bearing a mug and a meat pie. Allura and Hunk leaned back, Hunk going as far as standing up to switch around his chair to give the meal ‘the respect it deserved’.

Hunk took a bite, and groaned in appreciation before swallowing and asking, “Back to the matter at hand, to what do I own the pleasure?”

Allura leaned forward, and whispered, barely moving her lips, “The bond between the gods of Altea and Galra are Breaking. I’m worried they won’t last, and there may be another war.” Allura closed her eyes, and sighed, “I am traveling to gather Voltron, so that we may better assess the situation, and prepare for war.”

Hunk leaned back, his smile vanishing with the mention of war. “I’m not a fighter.”

Allura nodded, “But you are a protector. Please. I will need your help to convince Pidge and Keith.”

“What about Lance?” Hunk asked, turning his face away.

“His Temple was practically in ruins. The pillar was still solid, but it is clear he hasn’t been there in ages, and as you go further North you will see that there are fewer and fewer people. Please, I don’t know what happened to him.”

Hunk’s eyebrows furrowed. “He was just here a hundred years ago saying he was going to visit everyone.” Hunk’s smile made a brief reappearance, “You know he couldn’t stand being lonely.”

“Will you help me?” Allura asked.

Hunk shook his head. “We can gather here, but I will not go so far from my temple anymore.”

Allura sank back into her chair, knowing that she could not hide the defeat in her eyes. “I hope there is no reason for us to need you.” Allura said, before smiling at Hunk, “I know you lost more than most back then.”

“And I still have much to lose.” Hunk told her. “Go see Keith next. I have a hunch that Lance may have gotten caught up in the desert.” He gave her a mournful smile as he stood. “After all that we lost, we all deserve some happiness, don’t you think?” He tossed a small bag of coins to Alex. “For our meals and her stay.” He looked back at Allura as he reached the door. “Continue around the edge of the country and head South, Priestess Alu.”


	6. Tam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LOOK! Another OC!!!

Allura had been flying peacefully for half the day when she spotted something unusual. She slowed her flight to watch a young man constructing a home out of mountain stone. There were others helping but it was clear that this man was at very least blest by a god. His arms were huge from carrying rocks twice his weight, and the rest of him followed suit. His skin was several shades darker than Hunks, though it was possibly due to spending more time in the sun than the old god was spending of late.

Allura landed and made herself visible again. She then made her way back to the path and trekked down it towards the house that was under construction.

Once she could see it again she paused. It was almost half built.

This man was not simply blessed, he was a god. _How did this happen. How has there been no word of this, even in the city?_

The god turned as she approached, seeming to sense her. She raised her hand in greeting. “Hello, I am the priestess Alu of the Goddess Allura, can you tell me where the nearest high priest is?”

One of the Alteans who had turned to look at the stranger laughed, “He’s standing right here, aren’t you, Teagee?”

The man she had singled out earlier nodded. “Priestess Allu, my father told me of you in my bedtime stories, to what do I owe the honor?”

Allura smiled. “Mostly my own curiosity. May I ask who your father is? It seems stories are not spreading as they once did.”

“Many know him as Priest Garret.” He smirked as Allura nodded, seeming to know that he had merely confirmed her suspicions. “If I may ask one in return?” She nodded to him again, and he dipped his head as he continued. “What brings a priestess of the city to the outskirts?”

“Perhaps we should have a word in private.” Allura told him, glancing at the curious mortals around them. He nodded and motioned for her to follow him to the quarry they were using to get the stone for the house.

He turned to her and his expression became empty. “What is it you want.”

“I don’t know what Hunk has told you about me, the war, and Voltron, but the bond between Altea and the Galra is breaking, and since Voltron was a major part of creating that, I’m trying to reassemble Voltron to meet and assess the situation. There may be a war on the horizon,  but I dearly hope not.” Allura sighed, “I know that it’s been several thousand years, but there are so few of us left, that I’m not sure we could handle it.”

Teagee nodded. “Name’s Tam, God of Masonry, let me know if you need my help. My place is normally more at home, but I’d be glad to help however I can.”

“Last question, and Hunk was kind of hush hush about it, so you don’t have to answer, but is Vike your sister?”

Tam snorted, “Gods, you’ve already run into her? Yeah, we’re two different versions of working with earth.” He leaned closer. “And if you couldn’t tell, I’m the nice one.” He winked.

“You’ve spent time with Lance.” Allura said, straight faced.

He laughed. “Uncle Lance has taught me all his best lines and told me that none of them work on you.” He chuckled again, a deep resounding sound, like a cave had grown lungs and a sense of humor. “I was just checking that it was the lines, and not just him.” He winked.

Allura couldn’t help herself and giggled. “It’s both. And I’ll let him know that his protégé was only slightly more successful than him.”

Tam blinked as she turned to be back on her way south. As she headed back out of the quarry he called after her. “Are you serious?”

“Your father reminded me that we all deserve happiness. You are cute, and I hope to get to know you better.” She smiled at him. “I also admire the bonds you’ve built with you people. It’s rare that I find bonds so strong without my blessing, particularly between a god and mortals.”

“That is certainly a compliment from you, My Lady.” He bowed. “I look forward to seeing you again.”

“And I you.” The Allura decided to show off just a little, and in a great flash of light, she made herself invisible to the mortal eye once again, and took off into the sky.


	7. Sauna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OMG MORE OCs! Also babies!!!!!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you read the last three days worth of shorts in the side stories 'fic' because they do explain some of the 'wait how did that happen?' questions.
> 
> *EDIT: I'M SO SORRY THIS IS RUNNING LATTER THAN THE THREE PROMISED DAYS! LIFE HAPPENED!

Allura reached the desert without further trouble. The road ran past several oasis towns, and when she entered them, she found the people as deceptively surly as their god. All crossed arms, and growling attitude, but never willing to leave someone in need. The bonds they created were strong and sturdy, and she willingly blessed most that she came across, deeming them healthy and reliable.

It was strange, she thought, how people in extreme conditions managed to make such healthy bonds, yet those in her city were in constant need of her help. She had been mulling over whether or not she was giving to much aide to her people when she reached the desert temple. The oasis in front of it was much larger than she remembered and steamed in the heat of the day.

Or… was steaming until a little girl popped out and screamed, before running into the temple.

The water immediately cooled, and Allura blinked, mouthing, “Okay.” Before starting into the temple.

“I seek an Audience with Priest Key.” She called.

“Key’s out helping one of the neighboring oases. I’m Priest-” Lance halted as he came into view, and Allura stared at him.

She then smiled widely, “Lance!” She ran at him hugging him tight.

“I was so worried when I saw your temple!”

“Papa, Papa!” A small, familiar, voice shrieked. “This is the lady I was telling you about!”

Lance untangled himself from Allura and bent down, “Don’t worry, Sauna, this is Allura, she’s a goddess too.”

Allura took this as her cue to kneel also, and stuck out her hand to the copper skinned, red eyed beauty. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Sauna, how are you today?”

Sauna narrowed her eyes, “I don’t like strangers.”

Lance laughed and ruffled the little girl’s hair. “Just like your daddy. Allura’s your aunt, get to know her, I’m sure you’ll like her.”

Sauna pursed her lips in a very Lance like fashion as she thought. “You wanna take a bath with me in the oasis?”

“I’d be honored, but I have some business—”

“We can wait until Keith returns.” Lance cut her off. “He does more going out and visiting than letting people come to him, so we’re alone most of the time. If you have a suit, I can scrounge up Magma and we can join you.”

“Magma?” Allura shook her head. “I don’t have one in my bag, but that is hardly a problem, as you know.”

Lance grinned. “Great, I’ll be right out. You girls go ahead and get in the oasis.” Lance smiled and disappeared down the hall.

Allura leaned over to Sauna, “Who’s Magma?”

Sauna rolled her eyes and stuck out her hip in a way that was more teenager than five year old. “My silly brother. He thinks being five minutes older than me makes a big difference.”

Allura gasped, “Well that’s not true!”

The little girl dropped her arms in exasperation, “I know! But her won’t listen to me, or Papa, or Daddy.”

Allura sighed, “Well that’s just terrible. Maybe he’ll listen to me.”

Sauna sighed, “Probably, not, but it’s nice of you to offer. Let’s go out, I bet the oasis has cooled down now, and I hate them being cold!” The little girl huffed again, kicking a rock, like a hot head whom Allura was very familiar with.

Allura nodded and stood clapping her hands and glowing softly as her clothes disappeared, and were replaced by a swimming breast wrap and skirt that matched Sauna’s. “Let’s go wait for your Papa and brother.”

Sauna immediately jumped into the oasis and made it boil as she stayed underwater Allura giggled and stepped in after the child to wait for Lance and Magma. “Oh, this feels good.” Allura moaned as she relaxed into the water. She had just closed her eyes when she found herself gasping and blinking steaming water out of them as the little girl in front of her giggled and dove beneath the water. “That’s not fair!” Allura squealed before going after the little girl.

It was nearly impossible to get her hands on the minnow, her old (aka ancient) nickname for Lance coming back to her as she attempted to snatch the little miscreant out of the water. Any time she got close the girl would slip away, and spring up behind her to splash Allura again. They were both laughing and making a ruckus in the water by the time Lance came out with another child squirming in his arms.


	8. Magma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MORE FREAKIN OCS! (Oh and Klance)

Allura giggled at the little boy hiding in Lance’s neck. Lance held up a finger as he mumbled to the little one, who kept shaking his head. Allura distracted herself with Sauna. Eventually the water sploshed a bit, and Allura turned to see Lance stepping in with Magma still wrapped around his neck.

“Water and strangers make him nervous.” Lance smiled at her.

“I don’t blame him.” Allura smiled at the two. She felt Sauna silently swim past her but remained motionless to see how Lance would handle it. Lance continued muttering into Magma’s hair, not looking at Sauna until the water rose up around her lifting her gently into the air as Lance turned to her and stared her down.

“Now, I know you weren’t going to try to get your brother wet and shove me under water.” He raised his eyebrows. “I know you wouldn’t be that mean.”

Sauna pouted. “I’ll go back to playing with Lady Allura.”

Lance smiled and used his free hand to ruffle her hair, “Sounds good Saun.” He then leaned closer and whispered just loud enough for Allura to hear, “I think she really enjoys playing with you.”

Sauna was released with a big splash that got all over Allura and didn’t hit Lance or Magma at all.

Sauna came up next to Allura and began slowly swimming on her back in large circles around Allura, forcing Allura to follow her. “So, you’re a goddess too, right?”

Allura smiled and nodded, “That’s right. Do you have any questions for me?”

“What are your powers?” Allura giggled when she saw Lance wince. It generally was considered a touchy subject to randomly ask about someone else’s powers, but with the two children being the human equivalent of five-year-olds, she let it slide without a blink.

“I am the goddess of bonds.” Allura stated.

“Like when rope ties two things together, or Magma melts things together?” Sauna asked.

Allura noticed Magma peeking at her and continued talking to Sauna loud enough for him to hear. “That’s more of a secondary or stretch of my power. The easy part that I’ve always been able to do are seeing and reinforcing the bonds between people.”

“Can you break them too?” A small voice asked.

Allura looked at Magma, who was again hiding in Lance’s neck, and blinked before continuing. “Yes, I could. But I don’t.”

Allura saw Sauna open her mouth, but Lance cut her off. “I think that’s enough for now.”

Allura twitched the corner of her lips at him in thanks and was about to splash Sauna again when there was another question. “Daddy and Papa said it was weird that they weren’t named after their powers, is that true?”

Allura met Lances wide eyes and sighed. “Not exactly, your Daddy and Papa are just very bad at picking names.”

Lance huffed, making all four of the others laugh. Allura turned to see Keith standing at the edge of the oasis. “It’s not a lie.” He claimed dipping into the water and making his way over to Lance.

Allura smiled at them. Bonds were always clearer when both or all parties involved, and the families’ bonds lit up with Keith’s return.

Keith snorted, drawing Allura out of her shock. “Still get stunned by pretty bonds?”

“I don’t see how that’s a problem when it’s you families’ bonds that are getting to me.” Allura countered.

Lance smiled, “I wish we could see what you see.”

Allura looked down, noticing for the first time that Sauna had left her to great her Papa. “It would mean less traveling for me.” Allura smiled but knew it did nothing to reassure them. “Though to be honest, I’m not sure I’ve been paying enough attention to our bonds. I’m glad you both have become so happy.”

“Why don’t we talk about this after dinner?” Keith suggested as he lifted Magma from Lances’ arms. “How’s my favorite boy?”

Lance gasped, and Keith hit him with the same arched eyebrow that had always sent shivers through their bond during the war… Now though? It made the purple cord between them flush blue. Magma giggled and wiggled so he could attach himself to Keith’s neck, though it made his toes brush against the water.

Allura smiled and closed her eyes, allowing them to have some family time, and contacted Coran again. _I found Lance._

_Good, good. I thought he and Keith might have wound up together._

_What?! How! I’m the one who’s supposed to know this stuff!_

_And there are times when you only see what you want to see._

Allura huffed and could hear Coran’s laughter in her head. _Did you also see them having kids?_

_Well, it isn’t completely unprecedented. Though normally it is a single god having a child that takes better control of one of the parent’s sub powers. We’ve known that two gods can have progeny much like humans, but there’s only really been two couples to do that. Samuel and Colleen and Hunk and Shay._

_YOU KNEW ABOUT HUNKS KIDS?!_

_I knew Shay was pregnant, though it is interesting that there always seems to be twins involved._

_You want to research this, don’t you._

_No… For now I will merely keep a record when we all meet._

_You don’t need to come._

_I think I do, dearie. Now relax, enjoy your time with friends and the little ones._

_I hope this doesn’t call for war._

_At very least it is high time we met again with the Galra. Leave thoughts of war for when there is a war to fight._

Allura sighed and nodded to Coran, letting the sentiment roll to him before opening her eyes, and  goes back to enjoying the little family.


	9. While they sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grown-up conversations (yawn)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't noticed, I'm a child at heart, and hate the grown up convos.

Allura joined the family for dinner and watched happily while Lance and Keith ‘bickered’ and Magma watched her, slowly warming up to her. Allura kept grinning at the little one, and interacting with their sister. Allura helped Lance with the dishes while Keith chased the kids around, getting them ready for bed.

The bond between the twins began shimmering and Allura sighed happily. “What’s up?” Lance asked her.

“Oh, nothing. They just remind me of Matt and Pidge.”

“Is this a ‘their bonds look alike’ reminder, or a ‘their relationship is simmilar’ reminder?” Lance handed her another dish to dry.

Allura bit her lip as she dried the plate with a hand towel. “The shape of their bond is similar, so I guess it would be the relationship. The colors are very different, though. These two are ruby and turquois, Mat and Pidge were hunter green and gold.”

“Do our colors have to do with our powers?” Lance asked. “You’ve never really explained it.”

“Not necessarily. Your and hunk’s friend ship is a bright sun yellow, or it was when we were last all together.” Allura sighed. “The shapes and colors of bonds are easier to see when both parties are near.”

Lance grinned and nudged Allura, “What colors are Keith and I?”

Allura giggled, “Romantic, and life long relationships are different. The colors of your friendship will combine, so the two of you are purple, but when one of you is feeling more… passionate, I guess? The purple will flush one way or another, tinting blue for you or red for him.”

Lance shook his head as Keith approached with the two children on either of his hips. “It’s amazing how much you see, and that you figured all of that out on your own.”

“We all learn our powers on our own.” Allura shrugged.

Keith bounced the kids. “Goodnight Daddy!” they sang together.

Lance twisted his hands to dry them and lifted Magma away from Keith. “Good night my fearsome little angels.” He kissed Magma, then Sauna, then finally Keith with a grin.

“Let’s get you to bed.” Keith said smiling and sweeping Sauna above his head.

“Papa!” She giggled and reached down to him.

Allura found the grin she had been wearing all night grow into a true smile once again. “Goodnight sleep well.” Sauna waved her arms to say good bye and Magma hid in Lance’s neck again as his fingers curled in a small wave. Lance and Keith chuckled and took the kids further into the temple. Allura finished the dishes quickly alone, though she knew, as all three adults knew, that Lance could have done all of them with a wave of his hand.

When Keith and Lance returned, she was drying the last spoon and turned to them. “You are teaching them to not rely on their powers.”

Keith shrugged, “We often pretend to be our own chief priests or priestesses, so it’s good to know how to do these things simply to not raise suspicion and if they see us doing chores without complaint we might stave off them complaining about it for a hundred years or so.”

Allura laughed at Keith’s dryness. “I suppose that does make sense.”

“Have you ever thought about having a child?” Lance asked.

Allura shook her head. “I’ve never thought that I was at a point where I couldn’t handle my powers.”

Keith and Lance looked at each other and shrugged, “We weren’t at that point either, but I love having the kids.” Lance told her.

“So, what has brought you this far South?” Keith asked, always the first to tire of pleasantries.

“The bond between the Galra and Altea is weakening. Voltron needs to at least meet to decide what to do about it.” Allura sighed. “Hunk has requested that we go to his home as he is disinclined to leave.”

Lance snorted, “That’s an understatement.” Allura watched at him until he continued. “Hunk would not even go review the bond unless I cam to watch over things for him.”

“You mean watch over his children.” Allura corrected. Lance drew back in his seat as he nodded. “Tam confirmed my suspicions when I asked him.”

“He’s the only one of those three that still trusts easily. Vike took to Hunks new habit of being distant and extrapolated it.” Lance explained. “They are still young by gods’ standards. Only a hundred, and able to manipulate their looks, and

“Will you both come to his home when I call you?” The two men met each other’s eyes before nodding. Allura smiled in relief. “Good.” She bit her lip before continuing. “Lance there is another issue.”

“What is it?”

“You should go home soon. Your temple is crumbling, and the people become scarce the further north one goes.” Lance shook his head. “Lance, I meant to get you first I have been there and seen your temple. The only reassurance I got from it was your pillar still being strong, but I fear if you go another fifty or hundred years without visiting, the pillar may be all that’s left.”

Keith slipped his arm around Lance and pulled the taller god down under his chin. “We can go visit your home. We should have taken the kids there a long time ago.” Lance nodded, still shocked. “We can go up after the meeting.”

“What about your temple and being here?” Lance asked.

Keith kissed his forehead, “We’ll figure something out, we are gods after all. Now we know we need to be more careful.” He met Allura’s eyes, “Is there anything else?” She shook her head. “Then let us show you where you can stay. We should all get to bed.”

Allura nodded and followed them down the dark cold corridor to a small spare bedroom once used by one of Keith’s monks. Who must have been dispersed due to the children. 


	10. Headed East

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WHOSE READY FOR PIDGE?!
> 
> Not you, cause we're not there yet.

Allura left Keith, Lance, and their little ones the next day. It had been good to see Lance and Keith so happy, especially after seeing Hunk so withdrawn. It wasn’t like Hunk to be so… solitary, and unwilling to help. But, now that she was back on track with getting the other gods to agree to meet, she needed to swing by Pidge’s place, before grabbing Shiro on her way back West. And as much as she loved children, she hoped there were no more little surprises, because it put them in a less ideal position should there be a need to fight.

It was a long and boring two-day journey, but Allura noticed more people on this stretch of the road. It seemed that people traveled between Keith and Pidge’s lands more so than they did with the others, though as the only god(dess) of vegetation, it made sense that many from the desert would want her blessing over their crops. Finally growing extremely as she passed over what was probably her twentieth group of travelers, since the beginning of that second morning, Allura decided to land the second she saw another group come into view and speak to them about why they were all traveling. It did not take long, and soon she was approaching a group who were loudly discussing when to break for lunch. Their argument had slowed their walk and she quickly caught up to them.

“Hello, fellow travelers, how has your trip been?” Allura gave them her most dazzling smile, and was ,et with suspicious glances, Southerners, who had developed some of Keith’s traits no doubt. She dimmed her smile a little and continued, “I am Alu, High Priestess to the Goddess Allura, I am on my way to meet with Kathleen, the High Priestess of Pidge.” Allura continued to smile.

“Travel’s been unusually good.” Grunted one man. “How do we know you are who you say?”

Allura reached into her bag, “This.” She grunted as she pulled the small object from the bottom of her bag. “Is my priestess pin. I know they vary depending on which god one serves, but surely you have seen something like this from the followers of either Keith or Pidge.”

The man she had been speaking to turned to the eldest of their group who had been asking for a lunch break. The man was leaning on his cane, as he made his way closer. He examined the pin, taking it from her. “Alu, was it?” Allura nodded. “Kei once left me as high priest in his absence just over fifty years ago.” The man winked up at her. “We would be glad to have you with our group, My Lady.”

Allura gave him a tight smile, praying that Keith hadn’t done what she thought he had as she took the pin back. “I am glad to hear Keith’s followers are still loyal to him, though they have been disbanded.”

“How the gods raise their children has always been secret, even from their most trusted,” He shrugged, “Besides, Kei still goes around to the oasis villages and gives the god’s blessings.” He snorted, “He even worked with Kathleen to make traveling easier, so that if we needed to seek out a god, and make a pilgrimage of penance or needed to ask a gods advice more directly, we could go to her.”

“That is very kind of him.” The man nodded. “Why is it you all are going to petition Pidge.”

“The Great Being, as her people call her, may have something to cure my great grandson.” The old man said. He signaled for the group to continue walking, seemingly forgetting about his former hunger, making Allura grin Southerners were much tougher than they seemed if you listened in on their familial conversations. The man waved a hand to a young woman with a bundle strapped to her chest. “He’s had a fever, and won’t eat. It’s good this is such a short trip, he has grown quiet weak.”

“May I see the child?” Allura asked. “I know Allura’s powers don’t quite cover this, but perhaps she will help him rest more easily as you travel.”

The old man dipped his chin slowly and said, “Meredith, bring the child over here.”

Meredith looked up from her conversation, and walked over to the family’s patriarch. “Yes father?”

The man she had been talking to continued to walk beside her, keeping a protective hand on her shoulder.

The old man smiled, “The priestess would like to see if there is anything Lady Allura can do for the child.” He explained.

Meredith nodded and removed the baby from it’s sling, making the group pause as she fumbled. “His name is Jeremy.” The mother said.

Allura smiled and continued walking. “Jeremy,” She whispered. “You have many people worried about you. They will care for you and ensure you arrive safely, now sleep peacefully.” Allura planted a kiss to the boy’s forehead. The little furrows in the boy’s forehead relaxed and he curled into Allura’s arms. “I can’t remove the fever, but now at least his mind will be at peace and can focus on healing.” She smiled as she helped Meredith put her son back in his sling.

“I should forge onwards, I only have limited time and have been away from Allura’s temple long enough.” Allura smiled at the family and the old man bowed. “Thank you for your gift.” He said. The others took not of his bow and followed suit.

“It was my pleasure to walk with you, and you gave me some information, which Priest Cor would say is the most valuable gift of all.” Allura laughed, she then sobered, “I would suggest you hurry, you should reach the temple by night fall, I’ll let Kathleen know to expect you.” With that Allura hurried on her way. All the more eager to see Pidge, and ask them to help this family, and hopefully see the family again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if the next several chapters don't feel like they perfectly mesh with the first several. I took a couple breaks while originally writing this, and the story took turns I was not *completely* prepared for.


	11. The GREAT ONE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gender fluid Pidge for the win

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you go into the comments of the last chapter there should be a reference for all the gods, goddesses, and great beings!

Allura was impressed with Pidge’s village. It was massive, and all the homes grew out of the massive Pines, Oaks, Cedars, and Birch trees. The homes were connected by swinging bridges which trembled and swung above her with the laughter of children at play. The ground was scattered with all kinds of plants, the fruit bearing growing alongside the poisonous. In fact, surrounding each tree seemed to be a garden, but what gardener would grow poison ivy and night shade? Allura passed by the plants, curious, but not enough to stop seeing as none of the plants could harm her. There was a shout high and to her left, then another round of laughter as a couple of children scurried down a rope ladder, the first one taking off as soon as their feet hit the ground. Allura watched as five children followed the first, all six of them dressed similarly with brown or green pants tucked into brown or green boots, and long-sleeved shirts snugly fitted to their necks and disappearing into leather gloves. Allura was curious about how they dressed, until the smallest child slipped at the back of the group and skidded into a patch of poison ivy. The child simply picked themselves up and continued running, much to Allura’s bewilderment.

Allura reached the center of the village where Pidge’s temple stood grounded, but with an oak shooting through it’s roof into the heavens. Smoke was coming out of several chimneys, which was new, but Allura went with it, and began walking up the steps. When she reached the door she called out, “I wish an audience with High Priestess Katie.”

“Who’s asking?” A short figure with chin length hair, and circular goggles called from behind one of the many long tables, each in front of a fire place, and each occupied with someone tinkering, writing, pacing or sleeping.

“High Priestess Allu.” Allura called, adjusting her bag, unsure of what to make of the additions to Pidge’s temple.

The figure who had spoken before slowly looked up, then jerked their gaze back down. “Let me come to a good stopping point, and I can be right—” Pidge shrieked as something sparked, waved at it, then stopped talking or making any sound as their fingers flew before snatching the whole thing up, and slamming it in the pot behind them. Dusting off their hands and turning over a large hour glass, they beckoned Allura forward, and said, “How can I help you?”

“This is a matter for high priest’s ears only, can we speak alone?”

Pidge shrugged and called out, “Cas, wastch this glass, it need to be turned twice, then that pot has to come off the stove.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Another voice called.

“Let’s go.”

“I like your renovations,” Allura began.

“New powers, new needs.” Pidge stated crossing into a back room which was empty. “But you haven’t gone further than Corran’s temple in ages, so really it’s for me to ask you,” Pidge turned closing the door and continuing around to face Allura, “What happened that you need to see me?”

“The bond with the Galra is deteriorating.” Pidge rolled their eyes. “We need to at least discuss our options with the entire team of Voltron.”

“Where?” Pidge asked, turning to a work desk nearby, and fiddling with some of the tools.

“Hunk has asked to meet at his temple.”

“Are you sure you want me there?” Pidge asked, and Allura winced at their tone. “Am I still worthy of being on the team?”

Allura took a deep breath before responding, “I may not agree with what you did, but I doubt the war would have ended with out your actions.”

“For our own sake!” Pidge nearly yelled, “Can you stop being diplomatic for once? I almost prefer you yelling at me!” Pidge seethed. “I’ll be there.” They then snorted, “I suppose it would be the rest of the teams decision anyway.”

Allura simply nodded, suddenly regretting having left things with Pidge the way she did. She had never thought of it as a huge deal, but then, she had never checked their bond of friendship either. And now that it was in her face, she could see how rotted the core was, not irreparable, but not an easy fix after a hundred years of festering. “If you’ve had any children, they may feel to come, Hunk’s twins, and Keith and Lance’s twins will bether.”

“Thanks for letting me know.” Pidge said. “I’ll see you there.”

Allura nodded, “I’ve only got Shiro left to see, then I will send out a notice for everyone to gather.”

Pidge waved Allura away. “Sure thing. Count me in. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure Cas didn’t burn anything.”

Allura bit back the comment on trusting one’s priests and nodded. “I’ll be staying at your village’s inn for the night then heading out to see Shiro.” She sighed. “If you would like to talk about what I said, I’m sure we can step out for a bit when everyone’s together.”

Pidge nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the next SEVERAL days will be side stories, so check out the side fic, or you will be like 'wait-- WHAT?'


	12. Journey to the Mountain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE SIDE STORIES IN 'God's Losses'!!!!! This will not make sense without them!!!!

Leaving the forest and heading to the black mountain, Allura should have been headed through fields of corn, wheat, soy, and all other harvestable grains, fruits, and vegetables. By the time she could no longer see the forest behind her, the land had shriveled and cracked. It was wrong. Most lands with dead gods were simply less vibrant. Matt’s lands, like most of those who had earth traits spread further than most in the old days. Starting at the edge of Pidge’s forest and reaching all the way to the base of the Black mountain. Allura had often visited Shiro in those days, and found Matt also there visiting his neighbor. Matt was nice, thoughtful, and funny. Allura had always enjoyed her time with him. And seeing that this wasteland was all that remained, her chest had a snake slowly wrapping and constricting it. She hurried on, pushing her limits No god deserved this as their legacy.

The landscape blurred by her as she flew towards the mountain. The path was virtually nonexistent, and if her course had not been straight as an arrow, she would have gotten lost long ago. She flew above what had once been a wide river twisting through the fields and nourishing all the land. Seeing the river bed, cracked, and dry as it was, reminded her that Matt’s Temple should be near, and seeing as she was headed in that direction anyways, Allura decided to pay her respects to the shrine that would have been set up in the place of his former pillar.

When she saw Matt’s Temple, she froze. It had been smaller as far as temples go, but its single story had enough room for him and a couple priests, and the occasional circuit rider to stay the night before going back out with more blessings from Matt. Formerly the roof and walls had been golden and rippiling like wheat, now it was black.

“What the hell did they do?” Whispered Allura.

“Destroyed my pillar and left before Pidge could take the remainder of their rage out on the cowards.”

Allura screamed and shot up in the air, as laughter erupted below her.

“You’re just as easy to scare as ever, Allura.”

Allura stopped ascending and took several deep breaths before looking around her. “Who’s there? And what are you that I can’t see you.”   

“Oh c’mon, Allura, you recognize my voice, don’t you? I haven’t changed quite _that_ much.” The disembodied voice said.

“I know who you sound like, but that is impossible, he’s dead.” Allura’s breath shivered. “We mourned him.”

“They said it was for the best that fewer people knew, and I had enough on my plate trying to learn my new powers, so I let it be. It was rather like being a kid again and having no idea what is going on even when I’m ‘in control’.”

“This is impossible.” Allura whispered as she landed again, and Matt appeared before her in black robes that made his skin look like snow and his hair like the sun. “You died.”

Matt smiled and nodded. “I did. Would you like to come in and have tea?”

“WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THIS IS NORMAL?”

“Normal was redefined a century ago, you just didn’t know it.” Matt swung the scythe he had always carried when acting as the God of the Harvest over his shoulder, and turned to lead her to his temple. “Come along, I assure you, I don’t hold the same grudges as Pidge, though I may understand them.”

“I think you were meaning to be more comforting than you actually were just then.” Allura told him as she followed.

He shrugged. “It happens. OH!” He whirled around nearly cutting her with his scythe. “I forgot to mention, I’m no longer the god of the harvest, I’m the god of the dead.”

Allura froze and blinked at him. “There is no afterlife.”

“Well not really for gods, since we’re not supposed to die, but humans have one, and now I watch over them and make sure everything and everyone is where they are supposed to be,” Matt held up a finger, “but before that, we should have tea. This is going to be a long conversation.”

“I was hoping to get to Shiro’s sooner rather than later.”

Matt shrugged, “Shiro can wait, besides, aren’t you even a little bit curious?”

“Well of course.”

“Then come.” Matt led her up the stairs to his temple and into the main hall which once housed his pillar but what now housed what looked like a set of wound bonds going from the earth’s heart out into the world. Half way up the tangled mess, an oval shape was cracked open. “I was waiting for one of my circuit riders to return when I saw you pause, or else I would have missed you.”

“You still have circuit riders?” Allura asked, sitting in the seat Matt had pulled in from the far room for her and patiently waiting for him to pull the other chair and table in as well.

“I do. And, I don’t think this has anything to do with my old or new powers, I’m better at conjuring tea.” He smirked at her and Allura raised an eyebrow.

“It would have to be quite the improvement if you’re now making something drinkable.”

Matt laughed, “You were always a tea snob.”

“Which is weird because my mother wasn’t even the goddess of plants.”

Matt was gawfing, but now was setting a steaming cup in front of her. After sniffing it, Allura took a sip and commented, “This is a great improvement.”

“Thanks,” Matt smiled at her and sipped his own tea. “So, down to business, what is it you want to know about how I’m alive?”


	13. Q&A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt explains things to Allura.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want a more emotional version of Matt's story, go to God's Losses, the side series.

“Can it be done again? Can others be brought back?”

Matt bit his lip. “It’s possible, but we think there’s a time limit, like it takes some time for a god’s soul to truly disperse, even after they have died. But we can’t say for certain, because it’s not like there are gods constantly dying to experiment…”Matt drifted into a sot hum before coming back. “… I mean to attempt to bring back. I know Pidge went to See if anything could be done about Shay, but there was nothing. It could be that since it was a relatively new and untested power she just couldn’t quite access it with out the out pouring of emotions. We don’t know. It had also been a couple months since Shay had died. I don’t know if Pidge tried our parents, but I’m not sure they would have said anything if they had tried and once again failed.”

“Does Pidge come by often?”

“It’s been less in the past fifty years, but I know that due to circumstances down South, she has been busier than normal. That’s besides the fact that experimentation seems to come with her new powers.”

“You both have new powers?” Allura asked, and Matt nodded, taking another sip. “How did Pidge get theirs?”

“We’re not completely sure. It could have been a side effect of my dying, or her grief, or just a natural part of her growing older. Though, I doubt that last one because it’s not closely related to any of her preexisting powers as one would normally expect.”

Allura looked into her half empty tea cup, and changed topics, “Do you remember what dying felt like?”

“Not really.” Matt stuck out his tongue a bit and bit on it as he thought. “Have you ever heard a human describe a dream that they can’t quite recall even after just having it?” Allura nodded. “I guess it’s like that. There’s a bit of texture to what I remember, but nothing that can be held onto. I remember arriving and already being too week to do much more than what a human could, and I remember Pidge calling to me, and tumbling through that door.” He jerked his thumb in the direction of the oval on the not pillar thing. “Then we were both blubbering messes for who knows how long. Once we had collected ourselves we went out to see what I could do for the salted fields.” Allura gasped, and Matt rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah, that hadn’t made it any easier for me to use my powers when trying to protect my pillar. But anyways, when we exited the temple we were approached by a woman, who could only see Pidge, even though we were both presenting ourselves as chief priests and had made ourselves visible.” He laughed, “I didn’t think it was possible for a god to have a panic attack until that moment and I was having one. We shrugged it off and both went invisible to human eyes to the fields. Which was a bust, then there was this child who could see us, but not Shiro, who had followed to check up on Pidge, but Shiro couldn’t see the child, and it was weird, and Pidge and I took the child home, but it’s parents were mourning it, and I that’s when Pidge and I started to realize what was going on, and we led the child back to the temple, and managed to get quite the following and I took them down and settled them in my new realm where they are never hungry, thirsty, they are never alone, and they are all content.”

“So what do you still need the circuit riders for?” Allura asked, swirling the dregs of her tea as she continued to watch Matt.

“Well, they collect souls, of course!” Matt smiled.

“But… What happened to people before you and the gateway?” Allura asked trying to wrap her head around what was happening in the world.

“I’m not sure. They’re all down there, and from what I understand, people stopped coming down as soon as I died, but that doesn’t make sense. Why would that be correlated? But I can’t get a lot of information about it. The dead don’t like talking about the ‘world above’ and living things.”

“Are you saying you were destined to be brought back?” Allura asked clunking her cup on the table.

“No I’m saying we still don’t know what happened, how it happened, or if it can happen again.” Matt said raising his eyebrows. “Pidge, Shiro and I have been trying to figure this out. There might be something in Pidge and I being mixed between two of the three elders with Alfor as our grandfather and Ariella as our grandmother. It’s uncommon.” He paused to take a drink from his cup. “There’s also the fact that Pidge is still the only god whom we know for certain has directly caused another god’s death. There are so many variables, and no way to separate them out right now. We may learn more from Magma and Sauna as they grow.” He shrugged. “For now, we are all doing the best we can with what we have.” He set down his cup and stretched. “Do you have any more questions?”

“Well, I think so, but I can’t think of them right now.” Allura was only slightly drowning in information. “Umm… so what exactly is it you do?”

“Well, mostly, I make sure that spirits remain satisfied.” He sighed, “There’s a reason there are myths about ghosts. Unsatisfied or restless spirits are those that were betrayed or died while completing their life’s work. They usually come down easily enough, but the longer they are down there, the more they want to leave. I _can_ connect them to descendants to help with completing the life’s work. Those who were betrayed, though, generally can’t find rest until the traitor has been take care of, which can mean death, or being caught and judged. I haven’t found out how to help with that.”

“So… you’re connecting souls?”

“I guess you could say that.” Matt smiled. “I guess this is what I inherited from dad.” He stood up. “Here they come, can you see them?”

Allura turned and looked out the temple doors. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

Matt laughed, “Sorry, I forgot that I had to help Shiro at first too. Here.” Matt put his hand on her shoulder, and she could see a horse drawn cart loaded down with people galloping down the path towards them. The driver was dressed in black robes, much like Matt, and had a scythe at his side. Allura watched as Matt went down the steps to greet them, he helped each of the passengers down, he always used both hands, and glowed slightly as he helped them down. They then followed him into the temple and he opened the door all the way before hopping back down off of his former pillar and helped each spirit into the world below. He shook hands with the circuit rider and whispered something into his ear before helping him up to the door. Matt himself disappeared briefly through the doorway before coming back out with another circuit rider who cheerfully waved goodbye before leaping into the driver’s seat of the cart and galloping off into the night.

“So animals have a place in the afterworld too?” Allura asked.

“Nope!” Matt smiled. “Only the ones we kill with our scythes. And we only kill what we need and we only need a couple horses to go out with the Riders.”

“Well, I guess I should let you go, but if you have time, Voltron, Coran and I along with those who have been born since the war will be gathering to discuss the weakening bond with the Galra, if you would like to give your input, we are meeting at Hunk’s.”

Matt nodded thoughtfully, “I’ll try to make it. Speaking of bonds, what do mine look like now?”

Allura studied him. “Dark. And the one between you and I looks… new?” Allura felt her face crumple in confusion. “But that doesn’t make any sense.”

Matt shrugged. “Allura, I did die. Perhaps I have to recreate all the bonds I had.”

Allura shook her head. “I’ll be on my way, and will contact everyone soon so that we can all arrive at Hunk’s at the same time.”

Matt slowly curled his fingers down. “Great, see you then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always loved and appreciated!!


	14. The Black Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takashi/ Shiro TIME!!!!

Alfornt was at the base of the Black mountain opposite of Matt’s wasteland, and yet, it was a place Allura rarely visited. As far as Voltron went, Shiro was the only member she was still close to.

The back mountain is the fortress of Altea. It is the heart of the country, and where most of the civilians went during the war with the Galra, save those who were needed to watch over the temples, or could not travel due to small children. The only way to get to the city and temple and city at the top is to scale the cliff like surface. It was still customary, in Altea at least, for citizens to scale the mountainbefore their sixteenth birthday. Usually a parent would accompany them showing that it wasn’t actually as difficult as it looked, so long as no one above you was pouring down boiling tar, throwing rocks, or otherwise trying to hinder you. Still, those of Alfornt rarely recognized Shiro as a god, in his own right. Thinking of him as the care taker of The Country’s City. Nearly all the inhabitants were Shiro’s followers, blessed with powers of flight, to make their jobs maintaining the city easier. Scaling the mountain was the most Allura had worked the entire time she had been traveling, since one of the place’s protections was that gods, other than Shiro, had to approach as mortals did.

Reaching the top, Allura huffed and laid back with her feet dangling off the edge. “You don’t usually approach from that direction, Priestess Allu.” A young priest of Shiro’s commented, looking down at her.

“Well, I wasn’t coming from the city.” Allura commented.

The priest laughed. “Would you like for me to get Shiro, or would you like for me to take you to him once you’ve regained your breath?”

Allura sat up. “I’m good. Take me to him.”Allura took the hand offered to her and stood up. “Thanks.”

“No problem, he’s been expecting you.” The priest smiled, then seeing the look Alura gave him said. “You know that we double as the priests of Voltron, and Shirogane is the head of Voltron. Of course he would know that you had visited all the others, and would be coming to him next.”

“I suppose it’s good to be expected.”

The priest…ess? laughed, high and clear. “Don’t worry, it’s not like any of us get out much. And I’m sure if any of Matt’s riders saw you they would have know as well. Those who are trusted with these types of information are not likely to share you know. It just shows how favored we are.”

“It didn’t seem like Matt was hiding his Deity from any of the dead.” Allura commented.

Shiro’s follower shrugged in their robes, which drifted against the ground as if they were floating. “Their dead and look to him for protection. What are they going to do to him?”

“That seems lax.” Allura commented.

“You’re one to talk.” A voice called out. Allura turned and reached out to hug Shiro. “I don’t usually reach into the minds of the other paladins, but when Hunk, then both Lance and Keith mentally shouted because you were suddenly there, I decided to figure out what was going on.” Shiro had marched past her, and her arms slowly dropped.

“Thank you for bringing me to him.” Allura told the priest(ess).

“Yes, Recklen, you’ve been quite helpful.” Shiro added.

“Of course my Lord.” Recklen bowed. “I will get back to work now.” Recklen flew off leaving Shiro and Allura alone at the steps of his and Voltron’s temple.

“The bond between us and the Galra is weekening.” Shiro stated.

“It’s not as though this is entirely my fault. The Paladins were supposed to be visiting every ten years.” Allura argued.

“Just because you did not know if we were abiding by our end of the bargain doesn’t mean we were not doing it.” Shiro then shrugged, “But we were probably not doing things the way you had planned. A hundred years ago, Hunk had babies to watch over, and then Fifty years ago Keith and Lance had kids, and now Pidge and I have been switching off who goes to them.”

“Do they think Voltron is broken?” Allura asked.

“I don’t know, but you can bring that up at the meeting.” Shiro replied, and Allura nodded. “Also, I’m not sure why we are so bent about being a secret.” Shiro told her. “It’s not as though we are bad to our people. I mean sure Lance might have some people mad at him right now for abandoning his temple, and the north, but none of them would attack our pillars.”

“And you’ve never had someone angry and saying you caused their broken heart.” Allura muttered crossing her arms.

Shiro raised his eyebrows. “You deal in emotions, what do you expect?” Shiro asked. “Even gods have been known to do insane things out of grief.”

“I like Pidge well enough, but their actions were still uncalled for.” Allura said, turning away from Shiro.

“I wasn’t talking about Pidge, and you didn’t have to bring them into this.” He said. “And honestly, I’m not sure the war would have ended in our favor without their actions. And someday, you will have to acknowledge that. Sooner rather than latter, if you want this meeting to go well.”

Allura sighed, “I didn’t expect them to still be so angry.”

“Well that’s naive of you.” Shiro commented. “You said some extremely hurtful things, Us, _I_ felt the bonds between Pidge and _I_ weaken because of what you said.”

“We were all upset.”

“But you were the one who condemned them.” Shiro walked around so that he was in front of Allura again. “I’m guessing you found out about Matt on your own.” Allura barely nodded. “They still care and were still scared of you going off on them again. I suggest you give all of that some good long meditation before we all meet at Hunks.” He then smiled at her. “That all being said, it is good to see you again. Why don’t you tell me about your adventures tonight, and tomorrow you can return home.”

Allura smiled in thanks at Shiro and he walked her into her rooms within the Temple of Volrton, the only temple that would expand to have rooms for all existing gods, and told Shiro of all the humans and new gods she had met on her travels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shiro will, eventually have a back story in God's Losses, but I'm not going to do that to you yet.


	15. Home at Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura gets home, and now for a side adventure!

Coming back down the black mountain was much easier than going up it, as there was no protecting magic against flying down. And seeing the spires of her city come clear beyond the cloud cover that always surrounded the black mountain was a sweet relief she had no idea she needed. It was her beautiful city, and while there were things she would need to check in on, and insure never happened again, it was still her city, or her and Coran’s city.

She chose to let her people know she had returned and when she reached the tower at the top of her temple, she let herself shine brightly, a beacon in the coming night. As soon as that was finished, she knew that she would have to re-enter the city by foot if she did not want to cause any suspicion and made herself invisible once more and flew just beyond the northern gates. Ten days of travel would be reasonable for a brief visit to the northern reaches of Altea. Adjusting her bag, she made her way out of the shrubbery and onto the road. And in a hundred feet was called out to by the gate watch, “Priestess Allu, welcome home! The Goddess Allura must be pleased by your return!”

When she reached them Allura asked, “Truly? What make you think that?” She pushed some hair away from her eyes to look more honest.

“The goddess has shone her light throughout the city, signaling her pleasure.” The first gate’s man said.

“Indeed, it is the same light she uses on a lesser scale to announce her pleasure and blessing on a marriage bond. It must be your return.” The second agreed.

Allura gave them a sot smile, “That is very kind of both of you.”

“There has been much good going about in the city during your absence. Vergna has been clearing out a massive ring of defilers.” The first told Allura waving her forward. “Vergna said that you had contacted her about a child named Reliance who ran from home, and you wished for her and those who would help her discover the truth about the child’s past.”

“Indeed.” Allura nodded. “I am glad to know that things are going well with that investigation. I should go to Vergna to get the full report.”

“Indeed, but before you do.” The second guard looked to the first, who nodded. “Can you tell us what happened to the child? The city has been quite worried for her.”

“I found her a new family. Her fathers are good people who will give her the love and care she deserves.”

“Thank you, High Priestess Allu.” They both bowed, stepping back to let her past.

As she stepped from beneath the gate, Allura called over her shoulder. “Be sure to share the good news. I’m sure you were not the only ones worried.”

“Yes Ma’am!” They saluted.

Allura smiled as she passed through the city, nodding to the last of the merchants headed home or to the taverns. The city stank with the rot of thousands of people, and Allura grinned. Being out in Nature was well and fine, but being here amongst her children and being able to sense their presence and growth with all her senses made her grin grow giddy. There really was so much truth to the sentiment, ‘There’s no place like home’.

Arriving at the steps of her temple, Coran and Vergna were waiting for her. Coran ran to her, “It’s been too long!” He cried.

“Cor, it was ten days!”

“Do you know when the last time I went ten days without seeing you was?” Coran asked, and Allura raised her eyebrows, knowing he couldn’t actually say the answer. “A very, very long time ago. Then would you like to accompany me when I head West in a week?”

“Ah yes, I would love to visit Hunk!” Allura smiled, “Good.”

“You are leaving again?” Vergna asked.

“Yes, But I should have enough time in this next week to catch up on anything that needs my attention. Also, I can look at what you found about the child I’d met.” Allura smiled at both of them. “We can speak of this more tomorrow, until then, I wish to sleep in my own bed. I’ve greatly missed it.”

Coran nodded and began to make his way back to his own temple. Vergna bowed her head and waited for Allura to pass before following after her into the temple. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“If you would not mind getting me the reports from your investigation, that would be wonderful. I would like to see what progress you have made, and begin to figure out what steps need to be taken next.”

“Of course High Priestess.” Vergna said bowing. “And if I may ask, How long will you be gone this time?”

“No longer than a week. We are holding a council with all the high priests, and priestesses to discuss matters of great importance. Priestess Katie and Priest Shiro should come through here, and Coran and I will most likely travel with them.”

“Yes, My Lady. I will go get those documents.”

While Vergna was gone, Allura closed her eyes and reached out, _Hello everyone. Is a week enough time for us all to get to Hunk’s?_ When a chorus of yeses, however abrupt or curt responded, she replied, _Great, safe travels._

* * *

 

Vergna quietly handed Allura the documents, then left just as silently, and Allura quickly went through them. There was gang dealing in children in the city. Vergna had a good instinct with bonds, and had noted that while the bonds were strong, it seemed like most of the contributors were more willing to save themselves than protect the group. They simply didn’t have enough evidence to actually prosecute, as the children were to scared to testify.

Allura sighed and sought out Reliance. The child was having a nightmare but was being calmed by one of her fathers. Allura smiled. Them men were true to their word and were holding up well. Against the onslaught of unknows the child brought with her blurry past.  With that, Allura slipped into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A trigger warning for the next several chapters: Allura and Coran will be rescuing children who are being sexually abused. It's not graphic, but if talking/ thinking about it gets to you, just skip until I post a chapter with the note: "Everyone's SAFE!"


	16. Cleaning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: children being sexually abused mentioned and talked about

Allura woke the next morning refreshed and read to take on her city. According to Vergna’s notes, there was a gang in the city that trafficked children by inserting their members into orphanages, and then having other members ‘adopt’ a child or two. _Coran, are you busy today?_

_I don’t have anything planed._

Allura smirked at that response, often they were called upon with little to no warning. _Would you like to help gain evidence of the gang’s existence today?_

_An intriguing offer, consider me joined._

_Can you meet me here in thirty minutes?_ She received a wordless affirmative, and Allura got out of her bed. She strode out of her room, and into the priestesses’ living area.

“Priestess Allu!” Several of the younger priestesses called out upon seeing her, before all starting in at once.

“I can’t believe there’s a gang in—”

“How is that poor child you—”

“Why did you leave? Is this—”

“What are you—”

“When do we strike—”

“Ladies!” Allura finally cut in. “This development in our city is indeed shocking. Reliance was well the last time I saw her and her fathers. I needed to speak with One of my fellow high priests up north, and no dear,” Allura stroked the girl’s face, “As far as I know, this is not a national epidemic. I’m going to gather further evidence with Coran today.” Allura finally turned to the last girl who had been speaking. “We will not strike. If anything, the city’s guards will. What we will do is care for the children and ensure they have good homes. “Now I would like for you all to make a comprehensive list of the things which I need to do after being gone for the past ten days. I know that there are several responsibilities that only I am qualified to do, so please, let me know what has gotten behind.”

Several of the Ladies nodded, and went off to one of the writing stations to begin making their list. Allura then went into the main hall of the Temple, and glanced up at the crown molding of the pillars and the sconces for the torches that with the many windows, kept the temple a open and welcoming place. It had been ten days, and dust was already building up, and if she looked carefully there was a cobweb hidden in the high corner to the right of the door. Carefully she pointed at the spider web and got it and its host moved outside with out straining either of them, then with a quick wave of her hand cleared the dust in her temple.

“Good to see things are being taken care of.” Coran commented, walking through the doors of the temple.

“It’s good to take care of things. I don’t know how Lance and Keith are going to take care of Lance’s temple. They’ve been doing things by _hand_ to teach the little ones responsibility, and how to look like mortals and not complain about it, but now they are going to have to go clean Lance’s temple.”

Coran laughed. “You know perfectly well that Alfor was worse with us. He would take us to the homes of mortals and work with them to repair their homes.”

Allura smiled. “It’s too bad…”

“Don’t think like that.” Coran hushed her. “Now what’s the plan for today?”

“Well—” The doors leading to the priestesses’ quarters opened.

“High Priestess, we have the list.”

“I would expect nothing less than expediency from you all.” Allura smiled, “But that was surprisingly quick.”

“Several of us were already keeping lists as things cropped up.” Vergna stated. “I should warn you that we believe we saw two shattered bonds, and one rotted bond. The names are on the list, but if you could look into those sooner rather than latter, it would be most appreciated.”

Allura forced a small smile, “These things always crop up when I’m here.”

“Or maybe—”

“Don’t say it Cor.” Allura cut him off. “I will go through the list in my spare time today and begin dealing with each of the items listed tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.” Vergna and the two priestesses with her said and bowed.

Allura gave them a slightly more genuine smile, “You know your duties, go on and see to them.” The priestesses left her and Coran alone once more. “As I was saying, I was thinking of transforming to gain information.”

“We could not falsely give information in the courts.” Coran argued, pulling a law book out of thin air and opening it.

“If we looked different during our reconnaissance, then revealed we were gods in court it would work.”

Coran shut his book. “And by ‘reveal we’re gods’ you mean…”

“Shine really brightly and get as close to our true forms as we dare, and scare everyone within an inch of their life.”

“We are not supposed to interact like this.”

Allura sighed, “Sorry, something Shiro said to me seems to have stuck more than I was planning.” Allura looked over at Coran. “But I think that this may need a display of power to prevent it from continuing and to make the children feel at least a little safer.”

“Have you ever thought about keeping children here while you work on finding them good families to bond with?” Coran asked.

“No, but I have thought about asking that families get their adoption blessed by me before they take the children, so I can make sure the children are going into a good inviornment.”

Coran leaned in, looking up into her face and examining her. “You are taking this oversight harder than you should.”

Allura sighed, not wanting Coran to push further. “Which oversight are you talking about? Let’s just get this done. We know where to go to find these people, but they may be on high alert, especially with all the commotion going on about them.”

Coran nodded and spread his hands, Allura smiled and did the same. They changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments welcome!


	17. Supper Sneaky Spy Time!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Children are being sexually abused.

Allura was regretting this idea. True, gaining reconnaissance herself, as a civilian seemed like a good idea at the time, but this was a bad idea. These people were to on guard, and she just knew she and Coran had been had. These people knew they were spies, which is why they had spent an hour in this grubby pub waiting for rooms, and there had been a slow trickle of others coming and going.

“Sandra, calm down.” Coran whispered to her, using the fake name he had given her while introducing them.

“I hate that name.” Allura hissed back.

“Don’t worry about the name.” Coran leaned closer so his voice could get softer. “Besides, if you are worried you are doing nothing, then check out their bonds.”

Allura tilted her head down slightly in affirmation that looked like she was going back to reading her to do list, that had been glamoured to look like a shopping list. After a time, she looked up and began scanning the room.

She was lucky that this was something she had practiced enough as a child so that she could examine bonds without becoming a miniature star. She sighed and leaned back, looking up, and examining the bonds that were on the floors above them. She tapped her finger twice on the table. Her and Coran’s signal that one of them had found something. There were definitely bonds occurring up there that should never occur. She shook her head and closed her eyes. _I never knew that one could refuse a bond._

Allura opened her eyes to see Coran raising an eyebrow at her. She shrugged, “Children are special. I wish I could spend more time with them.”

“Indeed.” Coran smirked. He nodded to the server who had walked past them. “It’s a pity you have none of your own.”

Allura shot him a look but went with what he was saying. “I’ve thought about adoption to give me what I long for, but.” She shrugged. “It seems that is no longer an option with how the children are now on lock down.”

Coran nodded, looking like a sage with his wispy white beard, and balding head.

A man came out of the back, and leaning on the table, Coran tapped his forehead, Allura Forced the glow into her hand as she established a continual thought link, so Coran could record what she was seeing, hearing and feeling.

“Madame?” The man asked. “It is now your time. Did you prefer buck or doe.”

Allura smiled. “Either will sate my needs.” She smiled. 

“I love the easy ones to please.” The man said offering her his arm. Allura picked up the walking stick she was using to fake a limp, and his arm, and was lead out of the main area.

“Does your friend have preferences?” The man asked.

Allura smiled, “Yes but you will have to talk to him to insure you have what he needs.”

“Particular, is he?” The man asked chuckling.

“Very.” Allura smirked.

“You will need to tie back your hair. Occasionally we have a child respond poorly to the love their elders give them.” The man said, tucking a strand of Allura’s currently Black and greying hair behind he ear.

“Of course.” she said resting her cane against the wall, and leaning against him while she pulled up her hair and wound it into a tight bun. “Is this better?”

“Yes, just don’t turn your back to the child.” The man nodded to the door across the hall. “That one’s yours, call it what you want.”

Allura swallowed, knowing that if she were mortal, there would be vomit she was forcing back into her stomach. She hobbled to the door, and opened it. “Hello little one, we’re going to have lot’s of fun.” The door shut behind her and she barely managed to not sink to the ground.

The child was thin, but not completely underfed. Allura knelt down. “I have a game I’d like to play, would you like to play with me?” The child shook its head. “It’s a game of secrets.” She shuffled closer to the child, dropping her voice into a whisper. “Can you keep a secret?” The child backed into the corner furthest from Allura and the door. Allura dropped her transformation with a gentle glow, showing the child a level of herself that was similar to her look as Priestess Alu, but had more of her Godly markings. “My name is Allura, do you know of me?”

The child nodded. “They said your name at the orphanage. You make sure people love each other.”

“That’s true.” Allura smiled softly at him before frowning again. “I’m sorry for letting this happen to you. I can help you, but I need to play a game with me.” She told the child, who nodded again. “I’m going to become invisible and look for the other children, but I need you to be here and pretend I’m like the other people who come to you.”

The child thought about that. “How should I do that?”

“Can you bounce on the bed? I don’t want you to jump, but just make the bed rattle a bit.” Allura told the child who nodded.

“Should I cry and say momma?” The child asked. “That’s what some of the other’s want me to do.”

“That would be wonderful.” Allura whispered. “Now, may I kiss your forehead? I would like to give you some protection from the bad people.”

The child shied away from her as they thought about her offer, before nodding. Allura brushed her lips across the child’s forehead, softer than a breeze. “You are protected, I will be back soon.”

Allura vanished, making the child gasp. But soon they collected themselves and sat on the bed bouncing a bit before they began crying and calling out. Allura nodded and began looking through the rooms on that floor and the floor above, all the while collecting data for Coran.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments welcome!


	18. Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Sexually and physically abused children.

As Allura passed through the rooms of the ‘inn’ every adult she went by got a small mark on their face or neck. She was also counting children. There was a room where extra children were kept and fed, about ten were laying around sleeping, or comforting each other. Allura poked her invisible and intangible head out into the hallway. There was no one coming, so she returned to the room and appeared before the children much closer to her blinding true form, radiating light as she does when she needed to pass for more than human. The children who were awake gasped and quickly shook their friends awake. Having their attention Allura looked them over for injuries, there were few that she could detect, but still she did not trust her abilities to test for illnesses.

“Keep quiet.” Allura quickly shushed the children who were already bubbling with questions. “I need all of you to be brave if you are to be taken away from here.” A couple children clung to each other while two nodded, their faces set for the task ahead. Allura smiled, “Good. I am Allura, I am gathering evidence against the people who house you and those that visit you. Can anyone tell me where you were kept when the soldiers were looking around?” One of the two who had nodded to her took her hand and pulled her towards a corner that had been vacant the entire time she was there. They pointed down without a word. Allura squeezed their hand, “Thank you.” She then knelt and felt around the corner, quickly finding the edges of a trap door, and slipping her finger into a knot in the wood to pull it up. She looked back at the child who had led her to the trap door. “Are there any others down there?”

The child shook their head and Allura closed the door. “That can be investigated latter.” She sighed and went back to the children. “Coran and I will get you out of here. I know that you are scared and worried, and you have every right to be, but have hope, this is coming to an end.” Allura closed her eyes to see where Coran was investigating on the floor below. He gave her the mental nod she needed. “We have what we need to put all these people away. I’m signaling the city’s guard now.” Allura had no need to shine brighter when already displaying her power, but she figured it would be the symbol the children needed to see that she was speaking the truth, and ten pairs of tired eyes widened. She then not only summoned the guard, but also magically barricaded the doors to the building to all but her, Coran, and the captain of the guard. The children would be saved, and the people of this place would be arrested one by one, under the watch of two gods infuriated enough to act as themselves. She then also sent a message to her priestesses, asking them to prepare rooms for the children she had found. The orphanages needed to be investigated, and Allura refused to put the children back where they might be harmed.

“The guards are almost here. Coran is going to meet them. I’m going to become invisible again and stand over the trap door so they can’t hide you again.” Allura whispered. “I can make it so that you all can see me, would you like that. A couple of the children nodded, and Allura kissed each of the children who nodded on their foreheads. Before becoming invisible again and going to stand, legs apart and hands defiantly on her hips.

“Is she really invisible?” One of the children she had kissed asked one that she hadn’t.

The other child whimpered, “I can’t see her, did she leave?”

“No. Go over to the corner, I’m sure she’ll kiss you too.” The first child responded.

The second slowly walked forward, and still a foot away, bowed quickly, “Lady Allura? I changed my mind, can I see you?” Allura stepped forward off the door and knelt to kiss the child’s forehead. Upon seeing her again, the child jumped into Allura’s arms, snuggling into her neck. Slowly Allura wrapped her arms around the child before whispering, go back to your friends, we don’t want anyone to be suspicious. Slowly the other two children who had not wanted to see through her invisibility also stepped forward and she gently kissed them as she had the others.

She smiled at the children and whispered, “Go back to what you were doing before.” She winked. “We’re going to play a game called ‘who knows’. The people who know I’m here will use a code word, let’s say ‘temple’. If you hear that just say, ‘She left her temple.’ And if they nod, they know, but if they do or say anything else, they don’t know.” Allura conveyed the information to Coran, who had left a few minutes ago and was meeting with the guards to most effectively take the building.  

“So, we just act like normal?” One of the children asked. Their voice gruff and catching on their vocal chords.

“Yes, now hush, someone is coming.”

The children all looked at each other and scattered. They had just resumed their positions of despondency wen the door was slammed open, and the child Allura had bee given was thrown in. “Where is she?” The man demanded. The children all stared at him, and the child collapsed beneath him shuddered.

“Sh-she vanished.” The child said.

“People don’t vanish.” The man said. He pulled his leg back to kick the child and Allura was next to him, pushing him over before she could stop herself. The children tittered. The child who was now on the floor before her looked up and smiled briefly. “WHO DID THAT!” The children stopped smiling when the man stood up whirling around. “You little bastard!” The man snarled at the child on the floor, the only one close enough to possibly push him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, or thoughts?


	19. Worth More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Sexual and physical abuse of children

Allura grabbed the man by his shoulders before he could grab the child and punish him for what she had done. “It wasn’t him.” She whispered, her voice haunting like the wind. “Your sins have been seen, and you will pay for them.” The children began giggling again as she lifted the man of the ground. She could imagine from how he erratically jerked that the look of horror on his face would have made her laugh as well. “What is your name?”

“John… John Sholtman.” The man gasped. “What are you? A ghost?”

“There are such things as spirits and ghosts.” Allura smirked and winked at the children. “But I am not among them.” A door banged in the distance. “Because I, unlike a ghost, can call upon the city’s guard.” Allura dropped him and went back to her position over the trap door. The door to the room was once again thrown open.

“Hurry down the trap door.” A hunched woman said ushering the children who had been on the top floor through. Another woman with the children from the first floor hurried in behind her. The first woman reached down for the knot and began to pull. Allura smirked and crossed her legs as she plopped onto the door. One of the children who had been in the room before stifled a snicker.

“Open the door! The guards are coming!” The second woman said again.

“I’m trying! It won’t budge!” The first screeched.

Allura tilted her head. Guards were on the stairs, shackling the adult figures they came across, and moving on, heading towards the room Allura and the children were in. The two women were now trying to move the door together, to the amusement of the children, and the women would have beaten the snickers out of them, but they were more concerned with getting caught at that moment than keeping the children in line. While she knew she shouldn’t, Allura began making faces at the two women and John (whose help they had enlisted) to the ten children’s delight, and as they began to truly laugh, the other children began giggling as well.

Soon enough, the guards reached the door. There was a bang on the door “Alfont’s guard. Open up!”

The child who had led Allura to the trap door pipped up, “Have you been to the temple?” The children, even those who had not been given instructions for the game quieted.

Allura quickly reached out to the guard who had spoken, _Say, ‘She has left the temple’ the children will trust you._

The voice behind the door called out, “Not recently. After all, she has left the temple.”

The ten looked at each other and one of them rushed the door. They were quite small, and stood on their toes to get both of their hands on the door knob. “No!” The second woman screeched leaving the trap door, and running at the child, scooping them up, and pulling them away from the door, inadvertently helping the child open the door. Allura put her elbow on her knee and nestled her chin between her thumb, pointer, and middle fingers, still smirking. She then made herself visible and said, “Boo.” John, and the other woman screamed and fell back towards the door. The child who John had brought in ran to Allura.

“You’re here!” They cried. Allura let herself be tackled, and hugged the child back. Most of the children stared at her in shock.

“That’s Goddess Allura.” One of the ten children stated as a matter of fact. The other children began gathering around her as John and the women crab walked away from her and into the guards, who were smirking as the hauled the three to their feet and shackled them. A couple of the guards led the three away then the remaining guards knelt. “Thank you for your assistance, My Lady. The leader of this regimen stated.

The children looked back and forth between Allura and the guards. “Do we need to kneel?” One asked shifting away from her.

“I think you all have done enough kneeling.” Allura stated. “Come she held out her hands, there are rooms being prepared at my temple for all of you.”

“Also, at mine.” Coran said coming from around a corner and shining like Allura was. His hair was also closer to the obnoxious orange it was in his true form than the soft ginger that he kept it to pass as human. “I figured that there are enough of them to warrant splitting them up a bit.” Allura nodded. “I was first thinking dividing boys and girls, then letting the undecided, or changing members choose, but then I figured that there could be siblings who did not wish to be separated, so—” Coran clapped his hands “—Siblings go to each other and hold hands.” Between the thirty or so children there were five sets of siblings. 

One child raised their hand, and Allura nodded at them, “What if we want to stay with one of our friends?”

Allura and Coran’s eyes met. “I don’t see why not.” Coran conveyed from their quick mental conversation.  Quickly, groups two, three, and four formed each of the children had at least one other whom they had comforted and been comforted by. Allura and Coran smiled and began separating the groups into two larger groups. The ten Allura had originally found in the room they were in, and their friends, along with the child who had been given to Allura and his two friends, automatically went into Allura’s group. From there they just did their best to keep the numbers even. Allura and Coran then each picked up the smallest of each of their groups and began leading the children out of the inn. “So how many of you can read?” Coran asked his group as they headed out.

One of the children, who had grabbed onto Coran’s tunic asked, “What’s read?”

Coran gasped, and slowly turned. “You don’t know what reading is?” He acted as if someone had just punched his stomach, while still being careful of the child in his arms. “This shall be rectified immediately! While reading you can explore all sorts of mystical things, and everyone should have that ability. Allura smiled and nodded to him as they reached the point where they would have to split up. Half of the guards who had not escorted all the adults they had found in the inn to jail, followed her and her small parade, as the other half escorted Coran. There were quite a few stares that they gained passing so calmly through the streets, a horde of children surrounded by four guards and attempting to get close to the goddess leading them.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?? Thoughts??


	20. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EVERYBODY'S SAFE!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: silently hoping I got that song stuck in your head.

Allura was relieved, the children staying in her temple had known Reliance, and were all excited to hear about her new fathers. They had almost all known she was going to run away but had been told she was caught and then killed.

They had been in her temple and Allura was finding that however unique their names were, keeping track of seventeen names you had just learned was nearly impossible. It didn’t help that most of the names, like Reliance, were gender ambiguous.  There were a few who had been orphaned at an older age who still remembered their given names. Those were Jack, Stephanie, Marcy, and Andrew. Andrew had a younger sister, Anna, from whom he had briefly been separated, and was then given the name Amenity. Other than those five there were, Valiance and Vengeance, who were twins, Redemption, Sage, Meek, Tiger, who hated everyone (including Allura) except Stoic, Justice, Koi, Elegance, Wrath, and Slumber. Valiance was the one who had guided her to the trap door, and Meek was the child she had been given. Redemption and Sage were both exceedingly young, perhaps four, possibly very small five year-olds.

It was Stoic who explained that most of them started at that age, and therefor could not remember their true names.

Marcy, Stephanie and Jack helped bathe the younger children when they would shy away from Allura’s priestesses.

Meek had quickly told the other children that ‘Priestess Alu’ who had ‘returned from the jails’ shortly after Allura dropped off the children at her temple, was actually Goddess Allura, and the children, except Tiger, then flocked after her, and watched her as she married the couples who had come to the temple in her absence.

The children had also taken to sitting around or against her pillar. Allura smiled as she watched them prattle along with each other. Days past, and she began preparing the children, telling them that the gods all needed to meet to make sure that everyone in Altea would be safe like they now were. Tiger walked away when she had first said that kicking a table, and making the vase on it fall off. They all watched him storm off and Stoic said quietly, “He’s right, you know.”

“What do you mean?” Allura asked.

“You’re the only one we trust, and you’re leaving us.” He explained.

Allura bit her lip. “The timing is strange, and I wouldn’t normally, but I’ve found…” Allura looked away from the children. “I’ve found that I’ve been ignoring some of my duties. Ensuring that orphans find good families, making sure Voltron is healthy, strengthening the bond between us and Galra… Even gods can make mistakes, and now I have to right all of mine at once.”

Several of the older children were biting their lips or turning away from her. Those younger than five just looked at her confused. “Why?” Vengeance asked.

Allura sighed, “It’s a rather long story.” She told them. Several nestled together, and others laid on their stomachs.

“We like stories!” Koi told her, snuggling in Stephanie’s arms.

“It all started several hundred years ago when the Galra decided to attack. Even now we’re not completely sure why they destroyed Krolia’s temple and pillar which was at the peek of the tallest mountain to the west. Krollia was the goddess of the skies, and as she had children, she did as all gods do, and gave some of her powers to her sons, Shiro and Keith. We didn’t know she was gone for some time.” Allura paused. “And by that time the humans were at war. Alteans and Galrans fighting in the south. Then others began dying.”

“But it was a war.” Wrath said helpfully, making Allura chuckle.

“True, we expect losses in wars, but Gods are not meant to die, and it is very hard to kill us.” Allura looked up to the mural on the ceiling of her temple. She had allowed it to fade but could still remember what it had looked like when it was freshly painted with the images of her and her siblings, and their father. “There are now only eight gods remaining from that time in Altea. And one of them was nearly lost with the rest.” Allura bit her lip. “Few of us have maintained contact, because it makes us think of those we lost.” Allura took a shaky breath. “The Great One managed to end the war, though I don’t agree with their methods.”

“Who is The Great One?” Sage asked.

“Pidge.” Allura answered. “They are also a god, though they have never settled on being male or female, so we call them The Great One.” Sage was chewing on the side of their lip and Allura figured there would be more questions about Pidge once her story was finished. “Pidge had a twin brother named Mathew, and when the Galra began destroying him, they attacked in a way that no one had ever dreamed of doing before. They managed to destroy Zarkon, the leader of the Galran Gods, and scare the rest of the Galran Gods enough so they asked for a truce. I don’t think the war would have finished with any of us still existing if not for them.” Allura shook her head. “But at the cost of a God’s existence?” Allura sighed. “Coran is the only one of my siblings to survive… And our father, Alfor…” Allura gasped. “He vanished. The square in the middle of the city once held his temple, and one day during the war, it simply disappeared. We still don’t know what happened. We don’t want anything like that to happen again, so Voltron, and the other gods are meeting to discuss the weakening peace bond with the Galra.”

“Is Alfont named after Alfor?” Koi asked.

Allura smiled and nodded. “We renamed the city after his disappearance.” Allura then shook her thoughts out. “I didn’t want to deal with the pain of that. I didn’t want to remember that I too am now orphaned. I may be thousands of years old, but my father was still my comfort.” Allura looked down at her hands. “Now I have to pay the price of avoiding my pain.”

“Damn strait.” Allura turned and saw Pidge, Shiro, and Matt standing in the doorway of her temple with their markings visible and shining. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments of all types always welcome!!


	21. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt Shiro and Pidge get to know the kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SORRY for the random break! My other daily update finished, and apparently I decided to take a break :P I'll try not to skip any more days!! 
> 
> Please remember to comment!!!!

The problem with having four gods in a heavily populated area all at the same time is that if one of them gets too angry, or a fight breaks out, their worshipers can die. Fear of the destruction that Pidge is perfectly capable, and at times willing to do brought this back to the forefront of her mind. It was another reason why the war had been so devastating. When multiple gods are essentially throwing fits, mortals get hurt.

Allura quickly turned her slack face into a brilliant smile. “Priests, Matt, Shiro, and Priestess Katie, how wonderful to see you all again!”

“What’s up with all the kids?” Pidge asked bending in half to look at them without having to get too close.

“Oh, the orphanages are filled to the brim right now, so I’m working to get these kids situated.” Allura shrugged it off.

“Shouldn’t you—”

“Not now. We can talk about this latter.” Allura cut Shiro off, pointedly ignoring the hard look he was giving her. “Coran also has multiple children staying at his temple, and while this flux is not necessarily natural, everything is okay now.” There was a tug on her arm.

Allura bent down so Koi could whisper in her ear, “Why did you say three names? There are only two people.”

“Uhhh…” Allura looked back up to Matt. “Priest Matt, the kids are wondering why they can’t see you.”

Matt scuffed his hair and looked at Pidge who shrugged. “Well… ah… as High Priest of Mathew, God of the Dead, I am required to remain invisible to living eyes?” Matt shrugged. Allura looked down, and the children were all gaping, Valiance, Vengeance and Sage slowly began creepig towards where they had heard Matt’s voice. “Um… Allura, what are they doing?” Matt asked, slowly backing up to the amusement of those who could see him.

“They’re curious, they probably just want to touch you or figure out how you’re invisible, but they can hear you.” The were a couple slow nods from the children still around Allura. Allura began giggling as Matt slowly side stepped behind Shiro, and climbed onto Shiro’s back before standing on his shoulders. “They aren’t going to bite you!” Allura gasped before erupting into a fit of giggles.

Koi shook Allura’s sleeve. “Why can you see him?”

“Special high priest privileges.” Allura winked. Koi’s brows furrowed before her eyes blew wider than her head and she grabbed Justice and Elegance and ran with them to the back rooms.

“Tonight, should be enjoyable, surrounded by such curious minds.” Pidge commented.

“Do they…?” Shiro asked nodding to Allura’s pillar. Allura followed his gaze to it and sighed.

“They know enough for now.” Allura waved a hand at them, come, you all must be tired from your journey. Things are a little tight right now, so Matt and Shiro, if you don’t mind sharing a room, that would be wonderful, and Katie, if you wouldn’t mind sleeping up in my chambers, then everyone could be semi comfortably housed.” Allura waved to the kids as Pidge and Shiro (and Matt via Shiro) began making their way forward. “Come along let’s help the priestesses get the rooms ready.” Meek hung back but a glance over her shoulder, and Allura saw Meek fall in line next to Pidge.

Allura enhanced her hearing so she could listen in on their conversation. “Priestess Katie?”

“Yes? What is your name again?” Allura was relieved that Pidge’s voice matched the softness of Meek’s whispered words and that any deserved anger Pidge held towards her was not being directed at the children.

“Meek.” Allura smiled, it had taken one of the other children cutting in for Allura to hear and understand Meek’s name the first time Meek had tried to talk to her. They had spent a couple hours over the past days working on being able to hold a conversation, however quiet.

“Meek” Pidge hummed. “I like it.”

“You serve the Great one, right?” Meek whispered.

“Yes, I do.” Pidge’s smile was auditory. “Are you curious about them? People say I am the leading expert on all things Pidge.”

Shiro scoffed, before grunting accompanied by a panicked whine from Matt.

“Allura said that Pidge is called ‘The Great One’ because they aren’t a boy or a girl.” Meek informed Pidge.

Pidge hummed while they crossed the threshold into the Priestesses living quarters. “Well… While there are people and there have been gods who do not identify as either male or female, Pidge is know to go from one to the other… Some of the other gods know when Pidge is one way or another, but most refer to Pidge using ‘they/them’ to prevent accidentally offending them.”

“How do they know?” Meek asked. Backing further into her normal state of saying things at the same volume most people breathe at.

“You see there’s…” Allura stopped listening in. She had heard Pidge give this spiel plenty of times to people who were curious about their orientation. They had been the first god to be born without what they now called a ‘constant’ gender, or a gender that settled as they aged. Allura found it interesting, and even more so as Pidge gained followers specifically because the followers were of similar gender complexity.  

“This place looks nicer than when I was last here.” Matt commented.

Allura stopped and slowly turned to look up at Matt. “I have response to that, but”— Allura glanced at some of her Priestesses, who were pausing in their daily activities, and beginning to stare— “Now is not the time for such things.” Matt snickered. “And will you get down from there! I would have thought you were more used to dealing with children.”

“Yes.” Matt agreed hooping off Shiro’s shoulders. “Dead ones who don’t really care about who I am, but are usually upset because they’re, I don’t know, DEAD.”

“Do you really meet dead children?” Vengeance asked poking the air around Matt trying to figure out where he was.

“Some yes…” Matt hedged.

“Have you met a girl named Vanquish?” Valiant asked.

Allura watched Matt blink. “I haven’t asked for many names, they haven’t been necessary…” He drifted of into thought. And tugged on Pidge’s sleeve, an old signal that one needed a sounding board for ideas about their powers.


	22. Talk and Talk and appologize

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura and Pidge have it out.

The argument the had can be found: [here](https://ruby-sliper-of-iowa.tumblr.com/post/176858801660/goa-the-arguement)

* * *

 

It had taken an extra hour to get all seventeen children in bed that night. Tiger and Stoic had taken a liking to Shiro’s seriousness, as well as the fact that he looked like warrior, even in his traveling clothes. Dinner (and the time that stretched on past bed time) had essentially been a history lesson about the war, Mathew, Takashi, and Pidge’s roles in the war; the creation of the first Voltron (which made Tiger declare that he would be a paladin of one of the human Voltrons). Allura got to sit back and watch the conversation, for once not being the center of these children’s attention, and even being made into a villain upon announcing that there was ten minutes until everyone absolutely _had_ to go to bed. As the children marched off more cheerful when Shiro and Pidge voiced how tired they were from traveling. Those who took night baths bathed, while the others brushed their teeth and put on nighties. Soon enough there were seventeen heads resting on seventeen pillows in six rooms.

“Are you going to expand so they can each have their own rooms?” Pidge asked.

Allura shrugged, “It’s been offered, and will be offered again, but for now, this is how they prefer to sleep. They find comfort in numbers.”

“So, are you going to tell us their story now?” Matt asked as the four of them retreated upstairs to Allura’s chamber’s. 

Allura fell back onto her favorite chaise, and waved for the others to sit. “There was a children’s sex ring in the city.” Allura explained. “I only found out about it because I came across a child who had runaway from the same establishment these children were from while I was headed North to visit Lance”—There was a knock from the bottom of the stairs—“One moment please.” Allura quickly flew down, and found Vergna waiting for her.

“You are leaving tomorrow.” Vergna stated.

“The day after. We travel quickly, and I think they were giving themselves some extra time. Is there something wrong?”

“I’m worried about how the children will fair without you.”

Allura nodded. “That is understandable. I have already begun explaining to them why I must go. You’ll do fine, and a couple of the older ones are beginning to warm up to you.”

“Only a couple?!” Vergna’s skin began pulling back into her hair.

“Yes, and it’s the few who have the most influence over the others.” Allura reassured her. “And the others will warm up as well. The four of them find pride in looking after the younger children, use that to your advantage.”

Vergna seemed to relax, “What about Wrath, Tiger, and Stoic?”

“Convince Stoic that he and Tiger need to do something, and he’ll take care of Tiger. Wrath is similar, but with Slumber and Marcy.” Slowly Vergna nodded. “You can shadow me tomorrow, and you can see how I work with them, and begin to get to know them all better.”

Vergna let out a long slow breath before quickly inhaling and saying, “Thank you. I feel completely unprepared for this.”

Allura gave her a small chuckle, “Just between you and me, I feel similarly. I’ve never in all my existence needed to care for seventeen children at once.”

Vergna smiled and bowed. “I’ll leave you to your guests.”

Allura watched the woman go back to her quarters and then went back up to her rooms. “My apologies. Vergna is worried about being left in charge of so many children, and I can’t say I blame her.”

“It’s a daunting task.” Matt agreed. “Especially with such a range of”—Matt rolled his head—“personalities.”

“They are all precious to me.” Allura stated. “And have all seen and experienced far too much for children their ages.”

“How did they wind up a part of the ring?” Shiro asked, arms crossed, as he did when he was either cross, disappointed, or thinking (and though Allura would never say it out loud, it was extremely difficult to tell the difference).

“There were people working at a couple of the orphanages who were letting them adopt these children.  I have been using my spare time—” Allura rolled her eyes at the thought “—re-interviewing the matrons, and other workers at all the cities orphanages. Coran offered to help, but I’m better equipped to judge who’s hiding something so serious from me.”

Matt nodded. “I’m going to start talking to the children who come through my doors more, and my riders will be tasked with keeping an ear to the ground for such shiftiness.”

Allura blinked, “Thank you.”

Matt shrugged. “This country is huge for so few gods. If this is a national problem, we’ll need to use all the resources at our disposal.” Matt looked over at Shiro. “Perhaps we could use the black mountain as a sanctuary for the children who have suffered if it is a national problem.”

Shiro nodded, “That is a good idea.” He looked over at Allura. “Do you know how long this has been going on?”

Allura shook her head, “Stephanie is the oldest of all the children we rescued, and she said she didn’t know what happened to the ones who had ‘aged out’.”

“I’ll see what I can figure out.” Matt told her shining slightly as he used his powers to contact one of his priests. “My priests will be ready to help me with this task.” He informed them.

“Thank you, it is too kind of you, helping me when I was so careless.”

“We’ve all gone through much ore than we had ever conceived of.” Pidge said staring out the balcony and over the city.

“I think that’s our cue.” Shiro whispered. “The extra room is down the hall, right?”

Allura nodded and waited for the boys to leave. “Pidge, I’m sorry for what I said. I was hurting and angry, and let my morals take over.” Allura gulped. “We all lost family, and I forgot that when I lost a father, you lost a grandfather, and when I lost my brother, and nephew, you lost your father and brother, and I was not nearly as close to either of them as you were.” Allura looked down at her lap. “I know that doesn’t make up for what I said back then, but I meant what I said earlier, we might all have died if not for your intervention.”

Pidge hefted a long sigh, “I forgive you. I think I forgave you awhile ago; I’m still angry, but I’ve been working that out of my system.”

“To bed?”

“To bed and to a better tomorrow.” Pidge looked over her shoulder. “You can stop eavesdropping now.” She called, then snickered at the resulting thunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts, ideas, questions??


	23. Goodbeye for Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gods Leave Alfont

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY THIS IS LATE!!! I KEEP FORGETTING!!!!!

Matt, Pidge, and Shiro stayed an extra day, so they could leave with Allura and Coran. Both Allura and Coran could not express their gratitude for the help they received with the children, even as they were releasing more of the responsibilities of caring for the kids to their priests. Even so, come Friday, there was a whole procession following behind Allura, as she and Pidge walked towards the city center to meet with Matt, Shiro, and Coran (Coran upon being informed of their visit, however brief it would be, invited the three to use his remaining spare room as well). The children were clinging both to her and to Pidge, with the exception of Wrath, Tiger, and Stoic. Stoic, because he refused to touch anyone, and Wrath and Tiger because they were still mad at her for leaving.  
Meeting the other three Gods showed that they were having the same struggle with Coran’s sixteen children. Coran’s eyes were watering as he held a child who looked to be two years old, “Allura…” He began.  
Allura turned away, “Nononono Corannnnnn!” She groaned. “Don’t look at me like that!” She pouted at Pidge who was trying not to smirk. “We can’t! We need to get this meeting over with all expedience and taking them with us will just make us late and force the whole process to take weeks.” She glanced over her shoulder and cursed herself as she again turned away. “Besides, we would have to choose children to come with us. Even if Pidge, Shiro, and Matt were willing to help, we couldn’t take all of them at the same time.”  
Pidge’s smirk turned into a grin, “It’s true, we cannot take all the children with us. But perhaps… Allura, you said you already gave one child to a family, do you think we could get several of them families?”  
Allura closed her eyes and examined each of the children. She did not tend to look at how healthy a person’s base for bonds was, but she knew there would be problems trying to unite these children if they were not ready. She sighed, “Reliance was ready for a family. The closest to being ready for family in these groups are the sets of siblings, and even they, I would like to spend some more time with before I try to set them up with new parents.” She gave Pidge a grim smile, “This is besides the fact that just because we bring them doesn’t mean I will find people ready and suitable to be parents. I will keep an eye out for any families in the west who might be ready for another.  
“Then we could send them dreams telling them we have children for them if they are willing.” Matt chimed in, excited.  
“I’d rather it be worded differently…” Allura sighed. “But yes, that would be a good idea, so that they know that we are looking out for them.”  
“Then we have a plan.” Shiro said, nodding firmly. “Now, we must go.” He knelt before the mass of children, “Goodbye every—”  
The children tackled him with cries of , “Nooo!!!” “Please don’t go!!” and “Why?” Pidge lifted off one child, and gave them a squeeze before handing the child off to Matt, who gave the child a hug, and handed them to Coran who burst into a fresh bout of tears before handing them to Allura, who handed them to one of the priests, either one of her own or one of Coran’s depending on where the children were staying. The continued the hugging chain for what felt like hours before Tiger was finally lifted off of Shiro, kicking a screaming to not be left behind. Allura, upon receiving him, gave his forehead another kiss blessing on the temple opposite of his first, and put him into Stoic’s arms.  
Allura wasn’t sure when it had started, but she was definitely cry, and choking on her voice as she said, “I will return as soon as I can. I am sorry that I must leave so soon, I will think of you constantly, and will look in on you as often as I can.”  
Coran nodded, “Well said. I will also miss you, you have brought this old codger out of his books, and I have enjoyed every second of it. I am sure that I will have only more enjoyment upon our return, so good bye for now, and soon we will see each other again.” Coran took out a handkerchief to wipe at his eyes, and silently collect the tears.  
Allura heard a sniff beside her and looked down to Pidge, who turned away and said “I was not crying.”  
“Don’t worry, I was.” Matt snuffled, into Shiro’s chest, now that Shiro was standing again.  
“We should get going.” Shiro said softly. “If only so that we can return all the sooner.” Matt and Pidge nodded and turned away as Coran and Allura looked at the children once more.  
“Is this what it’s like to be a parent?” Allura whispered to Coran.  
“I don’t know…” Coran sighed, “but from everything I’ve read it must be something like this.”  
“The Galran Bond is more important?” Allura asked, not meeting his eyes.  
“You were the one who said it’s deteriorating.” Coran whispered back. “We wouldn’t want a war to break out again. That’s no life for these children.”  
“I hate that you’re right.” Allura raised her head from where she had been whispering to Coran. She lifted her hand and blew her children a kiss. “I will miss all of you and am already itching to return to you.” There were a couple calls after her as she turned to follow Matt, Shiro, and Pidge, but she refused to turn back to the children. Her resolve was not that strong, and after Coran gave his one last goodbye, she felt his arm slip around her waist, and she leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked, until they got out of the city. By that time both their tears had dried, and gradually released each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What ya' thinking?


	24. A Little Unwell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell, I know right now you can't tell, but stay awhile and maybe then you'll see- A different side of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day, since I've been lame recently!!!

It took Matt and Pidge exactly an hour of being out of the city to get tired of the moping and decided to do what they did best, cause a ruckus. It started with a relatively simple boast. Matt walking next to Shiro calling over his shoulder, “You know since I’ve returned, I’ve become the fastest god in existence.”

“Yeah, there’s no reason to believe that.” Pidge retorted. “I’ve already calculated that nothing to your physic and abilities related to physic will have changed.”

“But while flying it could broach on magic and god given abilities.” Shiro countered, “Which is besides the fact that on some level we _can_ shape shift.”

“SO, I could be.” Matt turned so he was walking backwards and could make a face at his sister.

“Then we should settle this.” And Allura could hear Pidge smirking even while walking behind them.

“We’re not really going to do this?” She moped into Coran’s shoulder.

“It seems they are using distraction tactics. We may as well go with it and enjoy ourselves.” He whispered back, even if they all knew everyone in their group could hear him.

Allura sighed, and Pidge cheered, “It’s settled! We are having a race! The race to end all races!”

They came to a halt, making a loose circle. “Keith will be upset he missed this.” Shiro stated, smirking at the thought of the other gods reckless abandon. “We all know he was the fastest back in the day.”

Allura smiled, “I think he’s slowed down and become more cautious of late.”

Shiro nodded, “He has good reason to.” He clapped his hands, “So what are the rules, and how far are we going?”

“All the way.” Matt’s eyes glimmered, and Pidge cackled. “And rules are for losers.”

“No one is going to rise to that Matt, and Keith is not here.” Shiro reminded the smaller God. “And we should take a break in Shay’s former Village tonight, it makes for a good halfway point between Alfont and the Mountains.”

“Okay.” Pidge groused sharing a frown with Matt. “Can we at least use our other powers to capture others?”

“No!” Shiro gasped, “Where do the two of you come up with these things?” He was staring down at Matt, and blinking Allura turned to Coran.

Her markings glowed as she re-established their mental link. _Did I miss more than I thought between those two?_

Coran choked on his laughter and Allura hit him. _I mean they’d been growing closer since the start of the war, and it’s not like either has far to travel to see the other._

_So… they are together, like Samuel and Colleen?_

Pidge barreled into Allura, “Secret’s don’t make friends! What are you two planning?”

“Pidge,” Allura sighed. “Everyone knows you and Matt still have a constant mental link. Please don’t judge others for watching their own backs.” She rubbed her eyebrows. “Which is besides the fact that we were just comparing notes. There is nothing to worry about.”

“Sure.” Matt and Pidge said crossing their arms as they did so.

“Cut it out you two.” Shiro pulled on Matt’s arm. “We did talk about this.”

“We weren’t doing it to you.” Matt explained as Shiro sighed and sat down. “Come on Babe, it was pretty funny given the context.” Matt winked.

“You’re ridiculous.” Shiro told him, pulling him down onto his lap.

“But I’m your ridiculous.” Matt grinned shimmying his shoulders to get closer.

 _Does that answer your question?_ Coran asked, without looking at Allura.

“That doesn’t make sense, dweeb.” Pidge commented.

_Yeah, I would have never thought after…_

“Nerd.”

_Well he would have told Shiro to be happy._

“She’s just jealous.” Shiro cut Pidge and Matt’s ensuing argument off before standing and lifting Matt with him. “So, we are going to race to Shay’s monument, we are not going to have teams, and winner gets bragging rights?”

“Sounds good to me.” Pidge shrugged obviously demoralized without being allowed to use their powers. “We should probably have Coran count off, since he won’t cheet.”

_Wow… I can’t believe they trust you._

“I would love to.” Coran said as he thought to Allura, _I don’t know what you’re talking about little sister._

_Suuuure._

Coran chuckled. “I’m afraid Allura doesn’t trust me. But don’t worry, I have changed my ways.”

Matt and Pidge shared a glance with Allura. “Shiro.” They all said.

“As an uncle and older brother, I feel highly offended right now.”

“It’s not as though those age differences mean anything anymore.” Pidge told him, their hands on their hips.

“I’ll call it off.” Shiro accepted the offer before anything could develop into an argument. “Everyone line up.” The road was just barely too small for them to line up shoulder to shoulder, so Pidge and Matt stood just in front of the other three, being the ones most likely to cheat, and needing to be watched.

 _Allura, I know this may not be the best time to bring this up._ Coran told her as he ‘warmed up’ by jumping and tucking his knees into his chest before straightening them all the way and landing. Pidge was looking back at him and rolling their eyes. _But I think you should know that having so much panic buzzing in your mind will not help the children._  Allura cut him off.

Coran let out a large breath as he folded over onto his legs. “That doesn’t stop what your head is doing. You need to trust your priestesses. They can handle this, and even if they can’t, those children are highly resilient, and strangely capable of watching out for themselves.”

“Coran, I was not looking for a psychoanalysis of my mind.” Allura told him. “That’s not all I’m thinking about, and even I it was, there are still children who barely talk to me, let alone the priestesses.”

“No offence.” Pidge cut in. “But not everyone likes talking to you Allura,” They put up a hand. “That’s not a bad thing, just something to get used to.” Pidge then smirked and crouched down. “Now let’s race.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments or thoughts???


	25. The Race

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge is VERY good at distracting people.

Allura took off as soon as Shiro said “Go”. It had been too long since she had flown full out like this. Even when she flew while she had been traveling, she had done so at a more leisurely pace to encourage herself to observe the land and people, especially the travelers. Flying like this… she could easily make it to Hunk’s mountain temple in an afternoon. They all knew that stopping at Shay’s was more about not arriving a day early than needing the stop. She zipped over a blur of a family unit on the road. And she stopped.

“Wait, wasn’t I supposed to be looking for suitable parents? While we traveled?” She asked.

“You snooze you lose!” Matt called as he and Pidge soared ahead with Shiro and Coran close on their heals.

“You all!” Allura called pushing her speed again so that she could catch up. “I need to be going slower to properly search. For ready and willing parents!”

“I didn’t think parents could be ready!” Matt laughed, looping around his sibling in mid air.

Pidge grabbed him and pushed him back into Shiro. “Stop showing off.” Allura had to quickly rise above the tangled mess of laughter and limbs that Matt and Shiro had become in their Pidge induced wreck.

“Isn’t that cheating Pidge?” Coran chastised. “I think—”

“Wasn’t in the rules, I can do it!”

“Oh lets get them.” Allura smirked pulling up next to Coran.

“No teams, you cheaters, who are so unlike me!” Allura zipped forward just close enough to grab Pidge’s ankle, and glancing backwards, she slung them into Coran, who then was hurtled into Matt and Shiro who were barely catching up. Allura chuckled and whooshed onwards, brushing her finger tips along the tree tops and quickly approaching the bend in the road that would lead them to Shay’s temple. She glanced back to she Matt, Shiro, and Coran, but no Pidge.

“What happened to Pidge?” She asked.

Matt shrugged, “They disappeared after knocking into us.”

Allura bit her lip and pushed her speed to it’s limit, and the point where her invisibility and cloaking would start to break down, and her true form would begin shining through.

“You really need to let whatever this is go.” Matt said suddenly next to her and flying on his back with his hands under his head, like he wasn’t trying.

“I have. Pidge and I talked, we’re good.” Allura said, trying to get ahead of him, and failing even as her form flickered even more.

“Being socially okay with each other and letting things go are not the same Allura.” Matt told her. “Now slow down a bit before you blow everyone’s cover. Pidge is probably trying out a short cut.”

“There is no short cut.” Allura complained, still not slowing down.

“Pidge prefers to go, ‘as the crow flies.’” Matt winked at Allura. “There are more options available to us than we often realize. Pidge is slightly better at finding an utilizing those.” He shrugged. “Get over it.”

He whooshed ahead of her, still not flying correctly. It clicked. The reason Matt could claim he was faster now was that for whatever reason, his invisibility couldn’t be broken now. He could flash back to his temple and no one would know. “That’s not fair!” She called after him, slowing down slightly so that she could settle back into her cloaking and invisibility to mortal eyes.

“What’s not fair?” Shiro asked now trailing her ankles.

“Matt’s invisibility can’t be broken now can it?” She asked him.

“Not even when he tries.” Shiro confirmed. “I think he needed this, I know it hurt him when he lost all his living patrons simply because they could not see him.” Shiro paused. “He won’t say anything, but it really hasn’t been that long… not for us. He told me as we were traveling, that there were still those who were born during the war alive. They are nearing their time, and he says a door is shutting with each soul of theirs he collects.”

They had rounded the bend and were quickly approaching Shay’s village. Allura searched and saw Pidge and Matt longing at the base of the Monument Hunk had made out of Shay’s Pillar remains.

“How?” She mumbled before flying the rest of the way silently, and landing before the two ‘winners’. “How?” She repeated herself more loudly, feeling Coran land and collapse behind her, and seeing Shiro fly into Matt’s arms.

“There was never a reason to go all that way around.” Pidge told her.

“I still won.” Matt smirked.

“Barely,” Pidge said. “And next time I will definitely be winning.”

“There’s no need for a ‘next time’.” Matt smirked. “We already know who’s fastest. There’s no reason to continually check that.”

“Sure Hon.” Shiro said kissing the top of his head. “I’m sure you won’t need to test it against Keith, then.”

“No more races, please, I’m too old for this.” Coran fake panted and began ‘fainting’.

“You’re a God.” Pidge flat toned. “You’re immortal, there’s no such thing as ‘old’.”

“I am the eldest of the remaining gods.” Coran retorted, hands on his hips.

“I feel like we’ve had this conversation before.” Pidge began, as Allura settled on the ground and worked to block them out. Searching was easier to do when there weren’t four gods having a petty argument behind her, but she really did want to do this. There were a few couples in the area who would make good parents. Full of love and hope, as if the spirit of Shay lived on in her people. Allura smiled as the warmth of the people her flooded her mind. She was at peace in a way she had not been in a very long time. Shay had been one of her best friends, softening some of her harder edges and letting her moral compass listen to her heart and emotions. If Shay had been there perhaps, she could have seen more clearly…

There was no use thinking like that. The past was gone. And with it many loved ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you had as much fun reading this as I did writing it!


	26. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They *finally* get to Hunk's Temple

They made camp around Shay’s memorial that afternoon and made plans to leave the next morning. They decided to not make themselves known to the locals and rolled out sleeping mats under the stars. Shiro told the human’s stories about the stars, and pointed to the shapes they made. It was to his gentle voice that everyone fell asleep that night.

The next day they flew again, though at a more normal pace for flying, and chatted about little things. Pidge and Matt were discussing a new experiment while Coran, Allura, and Shiro talked about politics and how they should broach the subject of the bond with the Galra, should it come to that.

Coming up to the mountains, they were greeted by Vike and Tam. Vike, was still in her armor, while Tam had taken on what Allura assumed was closer to their true form. Lithe, young, and genderless, which Pidge quickly confirmed when they were making introductions. Allura felt like an idiot, but there was little to be done about her past assumptions now. They flew half way up the mountain as a group of seven and entered Hunks temple, the face of which slightly protruded from the mountain, while the rest was formed of the mountain itself. The carvings were all done by Hunk himself, all by hand, all murals of various parts of his life, including the two stones in the middle of the grand hall, which depicted his childhood and adolescence. There were many additions since the last time Allura had seen the temple, those including his marriage to Shay, her pregnancy during the war, Tam and Vike’s birth, and raising the children. The development of Tam’s powers, then Vike’s. It was beautifully done, and Allura valued every second of being allowed to see it.

When Hunk walked in to greet them Vike finally dropped her guise. She ran to him bangles clanking on her arms, and necklaces weighing down her shoulders. “Daddy!” She cheered. “Everyone is here now! Can I go play with Sauna and Magma?”

“Me too?” Tam asked just behind their sister.

Hunk laughed at his children. “Yes, of course go have fun.”

That was all the children needed and they were flying through the halls, and they must have learned them all, for if Allura remembered correctly, Hunk’s Temple was something of a maze, winding through the mountain, with his pillar in the center where few could get to it. Hunk turned back to them, and held out his arms, “Pidge.” He smiled. Pidge screamed and jumped on him.

“Buddy!” They said at the same time. When they pulled apart Hunk asked, “Anything you need out of the mountain before you go?”

“Ah…” Pidge thought. “Let me think about it and I’ll let you know.”

“Just remember things that are rare out there—” he waved towards the entrance “—take longer to procure in here.” Pidge nodded, and finally pulled back from their hug.

“I’ve missed you.” They said. “AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME ABOUT THE KIDS!” They growled, hitting his shoulder for good measure.

“They just reached their hundredth birthday.” Hunk complained. “That is the traditional point to tell the world, so.” He shrugged. “You can’t blame me that much.”

“I knew about it.” Lance said appearing in the same doorway the children had just run down. He shrugged under Pidge’s glare. “I was right next to him when Shay was attacked and had to give birth, or die with the babies.”

“Okay,” Said Matt. “And who are Magma and Sauna?”

“Ours.” Keith answered resting his chin on Lances shoulder before seeing Shiro. He immediately unwrapped himself from lance and went to greet Shiro. “Brother!”

“It’s been too long.” Shiro said, matching Keith’s longing.

“How are yours?” Keith asked, making everyone turn and stare, except Matt.

“Is now the time?” Shiro whispered.

“Time for what?” Allura asked. “What are you referring to Keith?”

“Shiro—” Keith slipped from what had started as a hug, and turned into something of a death grip. “—Had four kids with—”

Shiro’s hand was over Keith’s mouth. “No one and nothing, it is unimportant.”

“That’s not what your head is saying Shiro.” Pidge teased. “Damn boy, when you get it, you get it.”

Shiro sighed. “I was… well technically we never got married, but I had a lover who was human, we had children together. Marcia is the only one still alive, and takes over as high priestess when I’m gone, and her and her siblings children make up most of my priests now.” He glared at Keith. “Are you happy now?”

“Well I was asking about how they were…” Keith smirked.

“Fabulous, everyone is fabulous.”

“Ummm…” Pidge raised their hand as Allura shared an open mouthed gape with Coran. “Why didn’t we know about this before?”

Shiro shrugged, “Same reason no one knew what you were planning, I guess.”

“Hey Hunk!” Matt smiled, like the world was perfect. And getting the group back on track with greeting each other.

“Ummm… Matt?” Hunk said taking a step back. “Didn’t you die?”

“Yep.” Matt’s smile never wavered.

“So are you…”

“A ghost? Yep. Mathew, God of Ghosts and the dead at your service.” He bowed.

Hunk nearly ran to Allura, “Allura, why would you do this? You know I’m afraid of ghosts.”

“Relax.” Pidge said. “When I raised him, I became a goddess of cures and poisons, which has been interesting.”

“Could you raise anyone else?” Hunk asked, hope shining in his eyes.

Pidge shook their head. “I’m not sure why I could for him, but I’ve attempted with several others, including Shay and it never worked. It could have been timing, our emotional and mental bond, the strength of my own emotions, or a myriad of other things that allowed me to raise him. I’m not sure I could do it again.” They looked down. “Sorry.”

Hunk shrugged, “I understand, buddy. But if we can avoid getting into another war, I would like that.”

“Yes!” They all agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT! SHIRO HAS KIDS?! Check out the God's Losses over the next couple days to find out more!


	27. A Time for Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They haven't all been in the same place for a while

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter was when I figured out why I kept everyone mostly separate. It was really hard to keep track of what everyone was doin/saying.

It took longer than was perhaps strictly necessary for everyone to settle in for the night. Between four children and eight adults, who hadn’t seen each other in quite some time, there were several misadventures within the walls of Hunk’s temple. Granted, the misadventures were mainly due to a combination of the kids and Pidge, whom they had taken too, and simply adored, much to everyone else’s displeasure.

It was not long after Sauna and Magma had been put to bed while Lance was talking with Hunk, and Keith with Shiro, while Coran, Matt, and Allura were discussing how document Matt’s new powers, when there was an explosion deep within the temple mines.

Keith simply closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and refusing to respond while Lance looked around the room meeting several startled pairs of eyes, “I vote Shiro and Hunk as Leader of Voltron, and their best friend go talk to Pidge.”

Matt snorted, “When has that ever helped anything?”

“Well, since you finally seem to have gained a sense of responsibility and aren’t joining in, maybe it will this time.” Lance smirked, with only a bit of cruelty.

Matt shook his head, “Give us a break. Most people hated us, because, you know, we were twins, and we had two parents. Hunk and Shay getting together slightly increased the view that this all might be okay. And no.” Matt stopped Lance’s protests. “What you and Keith have had for the past fifty or so years doesn’t count. Why do you think everyone is just now finding out about Shiro and Adam? Everyone looked at us and our parents as a strange experiment. Now, I get that you don’t want Pidge to accidentally blow up your kids, but they’re not.” There was another minor explosion. “Pidge is teaching Tam and Vike to use small explosions and math to create tunnels and carvings.”

Keith finally opened his eyes, “How do you explain that we can hear them all the way up here!”

Hunk rested his hand on Keith’s shoulder, “Those are echos. If the explosions were something to really something to worry about we would feel them, and I would have gone down there before the blast could go off. You are not the only ones with children here.”

Keith sighed and nodded, reminding Allura again how much he had cooled down since the war. She decided to intervene. “Pidge is fine, but if you all continue to distrust her, Voltron won’t be.” Allura hadn’t looked into the bonds between Voltron, but this was worrying her. She examined them, knowing that she was exuding power, and that they all knew what she was doing. “As I thought, there are fissures in Voltron, and if Voltron could be broken without damaging all Altea, I wouldn’t bother, but all of you will be hurt much worse if you do not address this.”

Lance sneered, “If I remember correctly, you were the one who went off on Pidge for killing Zarkon.”

Allura took a deep breath calming herself, and carefully separating herself from the feelings running along the bonds. “We all know that we aren’t the most forthcoming about how each of our powers work, but you should know that, especially while utilizing my powers full force, I am extremely susceptible to other’s emotions. I was reacting to not only all of our emotion’s but also those of the Galra.” She slowly met Lance’s eyes. “It’s no excuse, but I have talked to her about it, and honestly, I may have been reacting to what Pidge was feeling as well.” She cocked her head. “What do you think would happen to Magma or Sauna if one of them were to be murdered?”

“It’s not—”

“Trust me it is.” Allura never wavered in holding Lance’s stare. “Hunk, if you could go get Pidge, and put your children to sleep, I think the adults need to have a more serious discussion.” In her peripherals Allura saw Hunk nod and leave. “There really isn’t anyone here that can honestly say that they lost more than Pidge.”

Matt raise his hand, “I lost my life.” His head tilted, and his eyes fogged up. “Pidge is coming up and sending the kids with Hunk.”

“Do you two really still do that?” Keith asked blinking.

“Matt stared at Keith before shaking his head, “It’s never been intentional. We share a constant mental link, any eavesdropping is unintentional, but then, shouldn’t Voltron share a similar link?” He frowned at Lance, “I knew what would happen if I died that’s why I put protecting my temple above fighting the war. The real question is why didn’t you?”

“It’s true.” Allura agreed. “The Voltron bond was based on the bond between Matt and Pidge, that’s why Samuel thought those two would be best suited for Voltron.”

“And was no one ever going to tell us?” Lance asked.

“Babe.” Keith pulled Lance into a hug and chuckling, “You never listen. They did tell us that.”

There were several snorts and chuckles at Lance’s expression.

“That’s besides the fact that you wanted him dead too.” Pidge said from the door way with Hunk behind them shrugging.

“I wanted all of them dead, so I could go home and raise my kids, and I’m not gonna lie about that.” Hunk said walking back into the room and settling on a couch. “We were just getting to that point, Lance. If that upsets you… Bro, I don’t know what to tell you. We all lost a lot in that war, and we were all reacting to each other’s mourning, even if we didn’t know it.”

Pidge shifted to the floor, cross legged, with a sigh. “I know you’re looking for an apology, but I don’t think you’re going to find what you’re looking for here. I suppose I can apologize for not explicitly telling you what I was planning.”

Allura watched the bond, things weren’t worse, but they certainly weren’t better either. Sighing she stretched. “Let’s all get some rest. We’ll have to work on repairing Voltron before we discuss the Galra issue.” She then left to find her room with Coran silently following behind her.

Once they were a ways down the hall he said, “We can always do some of the initial bonding exercises again…”

“We’ll see…” Allura said thinking about another approach they could use, that might perhaps garner more empathy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments?


	28. A Time for Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They get down to business.

Allura examined the five paladins of Voltron sitting around the table. Coran and Matt had been put on child duty with Strict instructions from Keith to not scare Magma and Sauna. Matt had laughed it off, and nearly received a blazing knife in the back… which he stopped with his scythe before saying, “I understand you don’t want to deal with nightmares, but please have a bit more faith in me.”

Lance simply leaned on the table smirking, “I haven’t seen you lose it like that in a while, babe.” Keith rolled his eyes, and things quickly settled down.

Now there were just six of them sitting calmly around the table. Shiro at the head with Keith on his right and Pidge on his left. Lance was sitting on Keith’s other side, while Hunk sat next to Pidge. Allura separated Lance and Hunk and had he hands palm up on the table. “I think we need to have some understanding and empathy. And first and foremost, I think that means that the five of you share your memories of that last battle. I will act as a conduit and strengthener of your bond, but you all have to be willing to see each of the other’s side of the issue.”

Shiro immediately nodded and held out his hands for the others to take. Pidge bit their lower lip before slowly taking Siro’s left hand and reaching for Hunk’s who slowly grasped their and Allura’s hands. Keith and Lance shared a look before bringing up their already joined hands and reaching for Shiro and Allura’s hands respectively.

Allura nodded. “Just so you know, because her father was one of my brothers, Pidge should be able to do this too, but as most of the fissures are as a result of what Pidge did, that would probably cause a break and seeing how we are attempting to avoid that.” Allura shrugged. “Anyway, you all will be sharing your experiences from the war with each other, with a focus on the last day of the war. I think reliving and seeing it from each other’s view will help force all of us to accept each other’s decisions.”

Shiro nodded, “I’ll go first, and try to ease us into this.”

“I can go next.” Hunk offered smiling at the others.

“I think Pidge should either go in the middle, or last.” Keith stated, looking grimmer than the situation actually called for.

“I’ll go last if you and Lance don’t mind.” Pidge stated with a slight eyeroll and the fleeting thought, _that way people can leave if they get angry._ Allura met their eyes and briefly shook her head before feeling Pidge’s mental walls go up.

“Then I’ll go after Hunk, then Lance can go, and Pidge can be last.” Keith said, not seeming to notice Pidge’s thoughts, or how closed off they were.

“Alrighty then.” Allura smiled, “If everyone will make sure their minds are open, we can get started.” She glanced around the table, doing her best to not linger on Pidge, as they slowly reopened themselves for the mental sharing.

Quickly Allura wrapped her essence around the bond, pulling at Shiro for him to share his memories and begin the process.

 _It was only a couple years into the war. We knew they were willing and attempting to kill us and Adam had convinced me that my priests should be able to protect my temple while I fought…_ Shiro’s mental voice faded as a scene appeared before them. _A Galra soldier clashing swords with Adam, losing his footing on the ledge they were on. Adam steadily advanced, but the soldier slipped, and Adam drove his sword in, barely withdrawing it before getting stabbed by the soldier behind him, whom he dragged to the bottom of the mountain. There was despair that echoed around the mountain, sounding like the wind screaming in a storm, but they all knew Shiro’s voice. Above the whispered apology as Adam’s mind faded out. Shiro found each of his four children, gathering them together and crying. Whispering apologies to them over and over until the oldest pulled him away. “Go Dad, I’ll make sure they are taken care of, you make sure they are safe.” Shiro choked as he nodded and kissed each of them once before pulling away and fleeing back to the war. There was a brief flash of Voltron being formed, and part of the loss Shiro had felt was steadied as he and the others bonded. On the last day he had heard Matt, his friend and the only one outside of his mother and brother who knew about Adam, call out to his sister telling her to keep fighting, that he would protect himself, and then nothing… until Voltron was physically separated at Pidge’s screaming. The choking feeling was back, and he couldn’t move to comfort Pidge where they beat the ground. There were flashes of the Meetings, and his annoyance that Pidge left so quickly, followed by his surprise at seeing Matt with Pidge standing by Matt’s newly reconstructed pillar._

“Well, damn Shiro.” Some one muttered, but Allura wasn’t paying that much attention.

_Shut up, you’ll get your turn, and we can’t really stop until it’s all done.”_

No one else tried speaking, and Allura changed her focus to Hunk, reaching out and pulling…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALl the pain of 'The God's Losses' at once. Are you ready?


	29. Hunk and Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Memories!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title sounds a bit like a crack ship....

_They were resting from the war, done for the night and cuddled close to each other. Shay was smiling and shining radiantly. It made Hunk happy just to be near her like this. She kissed his cheek again. “Darling.” She whispered. “I have something to tell you.”_

_“What is it?” He chuckled. “If it’s got you like this it must be good news.”_

_She turned to face him, still smiling. “I’m pregnant.” She put her hand up to stop him from kissing her. “I’m going to fight as long as I can, and the others will not let me.”_

_Hunk took her hand from his lips and kissed it, “I will follow your lead on this and everything.”_

_They were quickly cut away from the ensuing make-out session and thrown into the middle of the war. Hunk and Shay helping man the catapults when she froze. Her temple, the babies, she left. As soon as he could Lance was there taking over for Hunk, and letting Hunk go after her. Hunk curled around his children, before taking them to his temple, and hiding them with his most trusted priests in the deepest recesses of the mountain. Lance walked out of the mountain with him, fortifying it as much as they could and leaving the towns people with weapons._

_The quickly cut through the joining of Voltron and slowed down again on the last day of the war. He had moved past the initial stages of grieving and was pissed. It was rare for Hunk to show this much of a negative emotion, but they could all see, in the darkest recesses of his anger, Hunk wanted the Galra, all of them, dead. He barely noticed Matt leaving, and when Voltron split apart, he was relieved as he watched Zarkon crumble, and the Galra stumble back. Seeing the white flag… made him happy._

Allura paused before moving to Keith, making sure everyone was settled after all of that. It was not an easy story to share or hear, and She could feel Hunk steadying himself after sharing. She then reached for Keith, pulling his memories to the center of Voltron.

_Keith was standing with his priests ten years before the war. This was the third time they had been attacked and Krolia was approaching them. She had just gone South, disguised to discover why these silly Galran mortals would attack him, and to give him advice. Keith bowed to her, and she nodded in return, accepting his arm as he guided her into the temple she had helped him to build. When they were alone he began, “Mother, do you know what is happening?”_

_She sighed leaning back into the couch cushions, “Alfor, Ariella and I will have to go into hiding, staying could be detrimental to all societies.”_

_“But why, what are the Galra doing attacking my temple?”_

_“They’re land has been plundered and will no longer grow.” She reached over and stroked his hair. “I wish I could do more, but I know their gods have been telling them that expanding is the only way to survive, and that there cannot be gods in the land they take.”_

_Keith watched her, fear trembling through his lungs as he steadied himself. “What are we supposed to do?”_

_“Go to war. I will gather the gods. Hopefully Alfor will come with Ariella and I, but I can make no promises.”_

_“What about your temples?” Keith asked nuzzling into the crook of her neck, like he was still a child._

_“My pillar was originally in the sky, and to the sky it will return.” She stroked his face, calmly reassuring him. “You and Shiro will be able to find me if you need me, but I must leave until the Galra are all gone.”_

_The call to war was made, and Ariella and Krolia disappeared. Alfor predictably stayed behind, and even if he knew he could find her again, Keith felt as though his mother had died. Technically he was the second youngest member of Voltron, and was not prepared to see Priest after Priest die protecting his temple. He was their first line of defense, making it easier to rush back to his temple, but there was strain in constantly being on high alert. They watched him take his stress out on everyone else, and especially Lance, who went cheerily through the war, never being attacked himself. But even Lance sobered, and Seeing Samuel fading away while they created Voltron, and watching each of his friends lose as his family diminished made the god serious, and Keith found himself missing the cheeriness._

_When Zarkon fell, Keith was more upset by the fact that they had agreed when the war started they would not stoop to the same level of the Galra. He retreated into himself again. Knowing that his brother would feel vindicated, if he could allow himself to feel anything. He had to retreat into himself, everyone’s emotions were exploding like stars, creating black holes calling him into darkness. He secluded himself, and listened to the negotiations without speaking, for fear of opening up to the torrent._

Allura backed into the center of the bond again. Looking at the fissures, she noted that several were already healing, as everyone came to terms with the fact that Pidge had been slightly right, though perhaps not so strongly, everyone so far had wanted the War to end, whatever the cost.


	30. Lance and Pidge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More memories!!

Pulling Lance to the center was a bit more difficult, he was resisting being vulnerable. Allura gritted her teeth, and dropped his hand quickly to tap him in the head, begore grabbing his hand and leading a much more willing Lance into the center of the Voltron bond.

_He flicked through them. All of his siblings as they faded away. The eldest, Shay and Colleen were the only ones who knew where Ariella was, and they had both died. All he had left was one of his many brothers, and his niece and nephew, whom he had never taken the time to know until suddenly he was occasionally sharing a consciousness with one of them. Every death made finding the deep calm and joy of the ocean harder. He was constantly on the surface wrapped in the storm and high waves. As each of his siblings who also had water powers died, it got worse, and his powers expanded to gather theirs. He was drowning. He kept pushing against restraints and trying to help and failing. He couldn’t control himself enough to be helpful and he knew he was dragging down the team._

_Feeling Mathew’s death through Pidge, was too much for the storm he was already feeling, and as Pidge pulled one way, he pulled the opposite, setting himself up to disagree with her as he saw the results of her mourning._

_He was breathing in shaky relief as no new powers came to him. Then he saw it, the Galra leader adding, and he knew the steps he could not force himself to take had been taken. And for once in his life he was drowning. There was too much anger and the storm spilled out of him._

Allura squeezed Lance’s hand. Lance had kept most of his feelings in the ocean during the war, and the storm he kept referring to was very real, and raging about his temple, inadvertently having protected himself with the excess powers. Finally knowing how much Lance alone had affected her was a relief. But it was time to pull Pidge to the center. Pidge’s story would make or break the bond which was already beginning to heal as everyone knew, it was not Pidge’s force alone that had broken them apart all those years ago. Pidge reached for Allura as Allura reached for her and they were slowly enveloped in Pidge’s memories.

_The war began with her mother dying. She, her brother, and father all gathered to make a memorial to her mother. Keith had said nothing of his attacks, and Colleen had been completely unprepared. It hurt even more that that was the day Krolia called a war council._

_Slowly, Pidge watched as others died and she fought, ignoring her own mourning. Her father was working on Voltron around the clock, and finally they were being selected and as the bond was formed she saw her father wince and stay even as Matt yelled at him to leave. She was frozen, she knew she could kill them all if she broke from the process now._

_It was the next day while she and Matt built their father’s memorial that she made her decision. “Matt I’m going to end Zarkon.”_

_“You can’t we agreed that we wouldn’t kill any of them.” Matt reminded her, his stance against her weak._

_She placed another stone where the pillar had once been. “Then I will be prepared for the day we change our minds.”_

_“You will not be swayed?” His head landed between her shoulder blades._

_“I can’t lose any more.” She turned to him. “Can you?”_

_They were both chocking, sharing every one of each other’s emotions. “No.” Matt sobbed, as they fell into each other’s arms crying. “Tell me what to do if you die.”_

_It had been a long time since either had tried to use the other’s powers, but Pidge set up the roots beneath Zarkon’s pillar to need minimal pushing to grow and crumble the bastard._

_Skipping ahead to the last day of the war, Pidge froze, she could have sworn that was her pillar getting attacked, but then Matt was yelling at her. “I can take care of it!”_

_She trusted him, even as her fear for him and his fear for himself grew. Each attack on his pillar was a battering ram to her essence, and she was struggling to separate herself from him as he realized they had done their best to completely strip him of his powers. He could barely fight them and only half of the mortals turned to face him, as the others continued to take sledge hammers to his soul._

_Pidge was already pulling towards him before it all went out. The last thing he’d seen was his pillar crumbling and the Galra laughing._

_Pidge reached into the ground, not noticing that she had pulled away from the physical form of Voltron. It did not take nearly as big of a push as she had given, but the roots of her vines swelled up sprouting and choking Zarkon’s life force. She met the god’s eyes as they widened with realization and he began to fade._

_Pidge turned only to find his way blocked. “Let me go!”_

_“What have you done?”_

_“Why?”_

_“How could you do something so cruel?”_

_The voices faded out as Pidge knew there was only one thing he needed. His brother. He had to get to Matt’s temple and see, he had to know it was true, even if he had already felt his heart ripped in half._

Allura pulled out and away from the bond and slowly every one’s eyes opened. Hunk grabbed onto Pidge, engulfing them in his embrace, and soon the others were on top of them, all crying.

Allura smiled, there would be scars, but they were mostly mended, and she thought she might know why the Galra bond was breaking down now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's everybody holding up? The next chapter will be lighter.
> 
> OH! Can anyone tell that I wasn't completely sure of the timeline while I was writing this?


	31. Getting Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some funny lost Allura

Allura left the paladins to comfort each other and heal their broken bond. She wandered through the caverns and tunnels of the mountain trying to find Matt and Coran to discuss her new ideas about why the bond between them and the Galra was breaking. And it wasn’t that Hunk’s temple/mountain wasn’t nice, but she was getting frustrated wandering aimlessly through the tunnels. It did not help that, as previously discussed, sound echoed through the halls, so she repeatedly thought she was following the sound of the children’s laughter, only to be led in the wrong direction. Growing well and truly tired of her own cluelessness, she finally reached out to Coran.

_Coran, where are you? I need to discuss some things with you._

There was a pause as Coran spoke with Vike and Tam. _We are in the forty-second west corridor near Vike’s forge._

_Am I supposed to know where that is?_

_Apparently?... Are you lost?_

_No!_

_Allura…_

_…Yes… can you find me?_

_Give us some time, and don’t move._

Allura sighed looking around herself before sliding down the wall and sitting by herself. Hopefully this ordeal would not be mentioned after she was found, but if Matt and Pidge both knew, then that was unlikely, especially if Lance was once again on good terms with Pidge and feeling mischievous. Allura pulled herself together and focused on the bond with the Galra. It did not take long, gently gliding along it to the other ends to see exactly where the frays were happening. Several of the Galra gods who had acted as anchors for the bond were gone. There was simply nothing left of them. As she stroked the ends she considered the options before her. They could rebuild the bond between the few Galran gods left… they could leave it be… she could attempt to tie these ends back into the attached ends without completely undoing the bond.

As she was mulling these things over she saw one of the anchors flicker and fade slightly, the ends of the bond attached to it fraying. She slowly came back to herself as she heard a series of unrhythmic thumping come from where she had left her corporeal form. It was like waking up when there was nothing to be done but sit in bed, awareness growing slowly and fading into logic, which told her the thumping was multiple footsteps and that someone was shaking her as if she was really asleep. She opened her eyes, blinking at the six faces staring at her with eyes blown as wide as the could go.

She shrieked and disappeared.

“Allura?” Sauna asked reaching out trying to feel their way forward to Allura.

Magma took the slightly different and much more expedient approach of falling face first towards Allura, who had to catch the little boy before he crashed into the floor, thoroughly reassuring the two little children that she was still there. “You shouldn’t do things like that!”

“But I love falling face first into people!” Matt said, smirking like it was the best joke ever.

“Matt go bother Pidge.” Allura set Magma back on his feet before smiling at everyone else, “The rest of you: Thank you for coming and rescuing me. It is much appreciated, and I’m sure I would still be lost if not for you. Now, shall we get back to the living quarters?”

Tam laughed, “Of course.” He started off and called over his shoulder. “I never new that anyone could get lost in these tunnels.”

Allura looked over at Coran, “Should I even answer that?”

“Not if you want to sound like a whiny child.” He smiled down at her, and she crossed her arms with a huff. “Now care to share why you were looking for us.”

“Well, really I was looking for you, and wondering if I could bounce ideas off you, because Keith had mentioned something interesting about the Galra that he and Krolia just happened to not share when we were meeting before the war.”

“Oh really? What was it?” Coran asked, ignoring the curious children looking back at them.

“Apparently the Galra’s land was dying, and they had been attacking Kieth for years before they decided to circumvent Keith and go after Colleen.” Allura told him

“Their land is dying?” Coran was silent as he walked and thought before his eyes began glowing. _What does that mean for their gods?_

Allura nodded showing that hse had heard him and kept walking as she continued. _I’m not sure… but while I was just doing a closer examination of the bond… one of the gods who is still anchoring it flickered and faded a bit, the edges of the bond anchored to him frayed…_

Coran stopped walking making Matt run into him, the two of them nearly falling onto the children, who began shrieking and running about to ‘avoid getting trampled’. Vike alone held her ground shifting into her fierce warrior look to ‘protect the others’.

“Calm down you’re fine.” Allura told them. She took a could hands in her own and continued walking, not allowing herself to acknowledge the chaos.  

_DO you think they’re dying?_

_I don’t know Coran. But I’m afraid someone will have to go south and see._

_Why wouldn’t they just ask us for assistance?_

_Not all cultures work like ours. The Galra hate what they call ‘handouts’. Everything must be earned and fought for._

_What a toxic way to live._

Allura found herself pulled to the left, then almost immediately up a set of stairs on the right. _We should not judge our allies, however tentative that alliance is._

Allura was shocked to find herself not only at the top of the stairs, but also staring at the hall that led to the room the Paladins of Voltron were still in. The children immediately let go of her hands and all four of them ran into the room their parents were sitting in.

Allura looked back at Coran before taking a deep breath and re-entering.


	32. Parting Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone goes their own way. There are those who still don't quite trust Pidge.

“I’ll go.”

Everyone stared at Pidge, unwilling to state all the reasons this was a BAD IDEA. Allura had finally finished fielding all the questions posed to her by the Paladins, Matt, and godlings. And they had developed a tentative plan for someone to do as Krolia had done and go spy on the Glara to see what was going on. And Pidge. Pidge of all people. Had volunteered.

“It makes the most sense for me to go.” Pidge began arguing. “I have the least tying me back here. Allura, Coran, Keith, Lance, and Hunk all have kids to watch. Shiro has his… descendants(?) and Matt to stay for, and while I love my brother dearly, he is the only thing I would really be risking.”

“You would have to remain covert.” Keith told her bouncing Magma where the boy sat on his lap. “Could you go South, explore the land and remain as a human? I know you wouldn’t kill any of them yourself again and risk the bond, but we don’t want them to take this as an attack.”

“I can do it, Keith.” Pidge snarked. “Unless you want to leave your kids for an unknown number of weeks.”

“I’ll be sure to visit your people while you are away and make sure they are all doing okay.” Matt told her, gripping her shoulder. “But if this is all that needs to be discussed, I should be going. Having the doors closed for so long is making the souls waiting to come to peace restless.”

Shiro nodded to him and whispered, “I’ll let you know if anything more happens.”

Matt vanished, making Pidge sigh, “It no longer tires him to teleport, and it’s not fair.”

“Well, at very least you should maintain an open link with Voltron and Allura.” Hunk suggested. “Then there will be less to tell us upon your return.” The rest nodded at his suggestion, Pidge only slightly slower than everyone else.

“I will, but don’t go jabbering in my head I will still need to think for myself, and I don’t need everyone’s input.” Pidge’s eyes were narrowed as they met everyone else’s. “I can do this, and yes I am in control of myself. I won’t go around killing other gods.” They rolled their eyes. “I’ve been a lot more stable since getting my brother back. Trust me on this. I can do it.”

“I believe you Pidge.” Allura stated. “When do you plan to start?”

“I need to contact my chief priest and inform her of my extended absence, but other than that, I should be good. There’s nothing that I have to get back to. There won’t be any new cures coming out, but as long as there aren’t any new diseases, that will be okay, and all my priests can make the cures and remedies everyone needs.” Pidge smiled. “I can leave tomorrow.”

“Then everyone should get some rest.” Allura said.

* * *

Six months latter

* * *

Allura was spending time with Wrath, Slumber and Jack, all of whom she had yet to find families for. All of Coran’s children had been placed, except two who had asked to stay and study in his temple, in time becoming priests. Coran had gladly welcomed them and saw them as his own children.

Allura was happy to have these three to herself and was considering asking them if they would be okay with her adopting them.

A month prior Keith had come through Alfont alone to go check on the South. He told Allura that he had been encouraging those who had migrated South to travel back North, as the god of the sea was once more in residence. It seemed to be a difficult process, and while the land had been good, it was obvious that the people had lost their faith in ‘the absent god’ as they had taken to referring to Lance. It was going to be a long battle, and allegedly Lance said his pillar was weaker than when he had left it. Allura wasn’t sure how much stock to put into that until Pidge had tugged on everyone’s attention having been caught at Lotor’s temple, by the god himself. And while the god had initially snapped at her, he had not the energy to attack and had explained what was happening throughout Galra. Pidge was now headed home, as there was nothing to be done.

It had hurt to know that if anything were to happen to their land and people they could also fade and die like the Galran Gods, like Lance was apparently, even if it was not nearly to the same extent, or so irreparable.

It did sting that had the Galra asked for help, they could have been worked into Alfont and saved.

Allura shook away the dour thoughts and smiled at her children. Jack had been taking private lessons from Vergna  to catch up to his peers and would soon be going to the school that Coran oversaw. The other two had not had nearly as much to catch up on, and were already going to school for half the day and helping around the temple the other half.

It was the most amazing thing. While she still did not necessarily think she would want her own children, she did enjoy working with and mentoring these three, and all the others who lived near enough to occasionally visit her. The pairs of siblings had been adopted together, and several of the friend pairs were now siblings (in the case of Tiger and Stoic, Allura had demanded that they be adopted together, or at very least be kept together.

There had been no other inns found that catered to such unsavory tastes, and after the trial, it had been made extremely clear where the gods stood on such issues. Life was good in Altea, if tinged with sadness at the death of a culture to their South. They would continue to grow, and flourish, and Krolia and Ariella would soon come home to help guide them as they continued on their way. Allura wished her Father would be among them but simply shook her head and went back to attending her children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, That's all folks! I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Also: I'm terrible at wrapping up stories.

**Author's Note:**

> Just so everyone knows, I do my best to respond to all comments. I love to hear from everyone!!!!


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